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MY GREAT LOOM. 






A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE 


BEING THE STORY OF 
THE STRANGE YET TRUE EXPERIENCES 
OF A COMPANY OF 
CASTAWAYS ON A PACIFIC ISLAND 


EDITED FROM THE SURVIVOR'S OWN NARRATIVE 


A 0 


» 


BY 


J. A. WILKINSON 

i* 



BOSTON 

D LOTHROP COMPANY 

WASHINGTON STREET OPPOSITE BROMFIELD 




Copyright, 1890, 

BY 

D. Lothrop Company. 

I a, - ^ 6 jl» \ 


L 


PREFACE 


' S story is true. Its incidents have been here faithfully 
* recorded, as detailed to me by the chief actor in the story, 
whom I met by chance and to whom I did some little kindnesses 
when he was much in need of them. This no doubt led him to 
trust me with the details of his eventful life ; not, however, until I 
had given him my solemn promise that I would not assist in iden- 
tifying him in any or under any circumstances, would he permit 
me to tell his tale. Strange as the castaway’s story may seem, it 
is therefore to be considered as true in every particular except in 
the names used and in such matters as might lead to his identifi- 
cation. It is no romancer’s fancy of possibilities worked to a 
logical conclusion, but is the record of a condition where natural 
ability and educated incapacity are brought into sharpest contrast. 

This narrative was taken down word for word from the lips of 
the chief actor who, now an old man, has brooded over the long- 
withheld secret of his life and has finally told it all. An indefinite 
fear of consequences, should he give it publicity has, until now, 
sealed his lips, but no reader of his strange story but will acquit 
him of responsibility or blame in the final tragedy. The only 
wonder will be that he restrained himself so long. His fear of 
identification, however, amounts almost to a mania, and an assur- 
ance that the island would not be within the jurisdiction of any 
country and that his punishment would be impossible, affords him 
but little comfort. 

Verily, truth is stranger than fiction. A narrative of adven- 
ture, danger, ingenuity and untiring work such as is this, out- 
ranks in interest the thousand and one essays in the field of 
desert-island fiction. 

J. A. Wilkinson. 

Toronto, June 20, 1889. 





























• I 




















• 




































« . 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


CHAPTER I. 

My parents — Their difference in disposition — My 
home — Lord Kilraine — My early years — I go 
to school — Homesickness — Inattention to study — 
Vacation-time — College-life — Lord Kilraine' s fam- 
ily — My bad record at college — I am “ plucked " — 
My father's anger — L leave home — Ship for Aus- 
tralia under an assumed name. 

I WAS born in one of the southern shires of Eng- 
land. My father was a merchant, doing a very 
extensive business and reputed to be very wealthy. 
He had received his education at one of the higher 
colleges, where only the sons of gentlemen have an 
entree. He had traveled a great deal on the conti- 
nent and was looked upon as “finished.” Being the 
prospective heir to considerable wealth, he was con- 
sidered a good “catch” by all the mammas who 
had marriageable daughters on their hands. It was 
because of this, I presume, that he was given a place 
in the social circles that surrounded many a noble- 
man’s fireside, and when he married the beautiful and 
accomplished daughter of Squire Newberry of the 


2 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 




Grange it was said, “He might have done better.” 
But he could not have done better this side of heaven. 

My father was a stern, upright, farseeing man. His 
word was as good as his bond, and he never forgave 
a deceptive trick. His escutcheon never bore a stain, 
and he was as jealous of the integrity of his family as 
he was of his own. He made few demonstrations of 
affection ; yet I think in his heart he was exceedingly 
kind. He seldom uttered a harsh word; but still his 
presence always seemed to cast a shadow on our 
youthful mirth. He was industrious, and as attentive 
to business as he could have been had he been at his 
wits’ end to make ends meet. A thorough business 
man, he seldom made a mistake, and consequently his 
business and wealth were ever on the increase. He 
admired learning and contributed more to the exten- 
sion of education than to religion ; yet was not, by any 
means, an irreligious man. It was his ambition that 
all his children should shine in the world of letters, 
and nothing would have given him more delight than 
to have had one, or more, of his children turn out 
eminent authors. He deplored the fact, that, being 
immersed in business, he could not devote more of 
his time to literary pursuits. 

My mother was, in many respects, the very antithe- 
sis of this. As gentle as a dove, as affectionate as an 
angel, she would have brought up all her children in 
her home, and retained them forever in her nursery. 
A tear was as natural to her eye in trouble as a^ dew 
drop to the grass; a smile of joy that almost spoke, 
answered every word of kindness that was bestowed 


. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


3 


upon her. How happy she always seemed, with all 
her children around her, enjoying themselves in the 
sports of childhood. How sad she was when any of 
them left their home, even for a few days, and how 
anxiously she looked for every mail, that should bring 
word of her loved, but absent ones. How tenderly 
she guided the young steps, and how lovingly she 
chastised the wayward. There never was harshness in 
her tone ; there never was anger in her heart. Such 
was the mother that reared me. 

My father’s residence lay just outside of the town 
in which his place of business was located. A beauti- 
ful old place, surrounded by trees of centuries’ growth, 
with carefully kept lawns and fruitful gardens. Close 
adjoining our grounds on one side were the grounds 
of Lord Kilraine, and on the other those of an 
extensive manufacturer of the same town. Whatever 
comforts wealth could bring, we enjoyed, without osten- 
tation; for my father was a practical man, and did not 
care for anything that was merely for show, and my 
mother was so domestic in her manner that she had 
no time to spare from her children for the pomp of 
the world. 

Lord Kilraine was a man very like my father in his 
tastes ^nd habits, and they were fast friends. Many 
of their spare hours were spent together either in 
the library of the one or the other, and most of the 
children’s parties in which we were participants, were 
held either at Lord Kilraine’s residence or at our 
own. 

My early life was without event, worthy of note. 


4 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I was looked after by a kind old nurse until I was 
large enough to go to the school-room, to receive my 
first lessons from the governess. My mother took 
care that the religious instructions were given at her 
own knee, and these were imparted with great tender- 
ness and love. She taught what she felt and what she 
lived with too much earnest gentleness to be resisted, 
and so we were taught the truest principles in the 
most effective form. 

I was naturally indolent and thoughtless. I could 
learn as quickly as the best of them, when I set to 
work to do so; but no matter how I determined to 
learn a lesson, I would soon be lost in some kind of 
useless thought — studying a picture in a book, or on 
the wall, or looking out at the sky and imagining pic- 
tures in the clouds. Presently the governess would 
speak to me and startle me from my reverie, when I 
would again turn to my lesson and as soon forget. 

I was very fond of play, and when the hour for dis- 
missal came I was glad to get away, and with a bound 
and a skip I would fly to the play-ground or the field. 

Thus the years sped on and I grew apace until at 
last the time came for me to go away to school. My 
mother gave me such earnest injunctions, and with 
tears in her eyes so pleaded with me to be a good boy 
and be diligent in my studies, that I determined to get 
to and keep at the head of my class. 

When my father bade me good-by, he simply said, 
“Well, my boy, I hope you will attend to all your 
mother has told you, and that you will pay better 
attention to your books, and prove a credit to us.” 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


5 


Partly glad to go from the restraint of home and 
see new scenes, but really sorry to leave my mother, 
I was driven away, and was soon installed in a private 
school, where a few youths of about my own age were 
in like circumstances. For a few days things went 
on very well and then I began to get homesick. I 
thought I must start on foot and go home, and I cer- 
tainly would have done this, had I not been carefully 
watched, by either the master or some one of his 
family. I could not eat, I could not study; in fact, I 
was put to bed and lay there for some days. Oh, how 
I wept ; how my poor head ached and how I suffered ! 
Then I got somewhat over it and was able to eat and 
be up. Then I felt ashamed to go back amongst the 
other boys. All this finally passed and I got into my 
classes, where I found myself the least advanced of 
any of my schoolmates. I determined to push ahead 
and overtake the others, and for a few days I made 
great progress and showed that I could learn equal to 
any of them ; but I soon fell into my dreamy, aircastle 
way and dropped behind again. My master was a 
very stern old man ; but was sufficiently awake to his 
own interests to not be severe. He pressed me all he 
could and kept me along pretty well. Once in a while 
I would take a spurt and pull up at a great rate ; then 
I would go slow again. Thus I kept along at the foot 
of the class, instead of at the head as I had deter- 
mined to do. 

My vacations were spent at home, and they were 
seasons of great pleasure to me. My father had no 
doubt inquired of the teacher how I was progressing, 


6 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


and had got an answer much more satisfactory than 
I deserved; for he did not say more than that he 
would have been better pleased to have heard that I 
had stood at the head of my class. My mother merely 
said, “My dear, I am so delighted to have you at 
home with me again that words cannot tell how happy 
it makes me.” 

The few weeks that I remained at home, I spent 
pretty much as I pleased. The fields, the parks, the 
woods were all visited in turn, and I had my fill of idle 
speculation. I would start a train of thought and 
mark out a whole life such as I would like to live. 
Then start again and map out a life along another 
line. Sometimes I would follow up one of these trains 
of thought for several successive days, before I would 
get it completed. Then I would get into a train of 
romance, and if what I thought out had been written, 
it would have made an interesting story. Thus I 
spent many idle days, and consumed many valuable 
hours that should have been devoted to study. 

When the time came for me to go to college I was 
not able to qualify, and had to stay with my tutor for 
another term. My father was very angry and gave me 
his mind in a more forcible way than I had ever heard 
him express it before. This made an impression on 
me different from what he expected. My disposition 
was to be led, not driven; I felt rebellious, although 
I knew that I deserved this censure, and when I 
returned to school I was more indifferent than ever. 

Toward the end of this term the tutor did a very 
wise thing. He changed my room-mate, and gave me 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


7 


a very kind and gentle dispositioned boy, who was a 
good student. We would show each other how to do 
any work that the one knew better than the other, and 
thus we were enabled to make great progress, and I 
soon found that I only wanted application to be able 
to lead them all. I studied hard before the examina- 
tions came off, and passed quite creditably. 

Then I was sent to college, where I put in five years 
of rather jolly life. For the first few months I applied 
myself diligently and was well up in my studies. 
Then I became well acquainted with the “sports” and 
was always foremost at games, concerts, parties, etc. 
I had no taste for the water and took very little inter- 
est in boating of any kind; but in all kinds of land 
sports I was well to the front. Of course my studies 
were neglected, and entirely forgotten during vacation. 

During my first vacation, my father took me with 
him on a trip to Ireland. This was my first real 
traveling experience, and although I was seasick, I 
enjoyed the trip immensely. My father so won on 
my affection by his kindness during that trip, that I 
believe he could have encouraged me to take a leading 
place at college, had he taken the right means of 
doing it ; but he did not do so and the influence soon 
died away. 

My next vacation was spent on the continent with 
my mother’s brother. I was his favorite nephew, and 
well I might be, for in dispositions and tastes we were 
as like as two peas. We enjoyed ourselves in all 
kinds of harmless amusements to the fullest extent. 
He was scrupulously honorable and nothing that was 


8 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


not strictly right would be tolerated; but for a jolly 
companion, give me Uncle Martin above all others 
that I have ever met. 

My third and fourth vacations were spent at home, 
as I had got somewhat into disrepute with my father 
through not having passed as creditably as I should. 
So I roamed around, fished, hunted a little, visited 
Lord Kilraine, and spent a large share of my time with 
the young Lord George, then about eight or nine years 
of age, teaching him to ride his pony, shoot with the 
bow and arrow, and other youthful exploits. 

I was a favorite with Lord Kilraine, and he said he 
always liked to see my face ; for it was as open as a 
book, and he could read no bad in it. He thought 
my father was making a mistake by trying to make a 
scholar of me, although he admitted that he did not 
know what I was best suited for. 

Lord Kilraine had several daughters older than Lord 
George, and when the little heir was bom the father 
was so delighted and kept up his delight for so many 
years that, stern as he was, he was likely to spoil the 
boy. The little heir took to me wonderfully, and his 
affection was heartily reciprocated, for he was a very 
lovable child. 

I left for college for the fifth year, carrying with me 
a mother’s tearful blessing and a father’s stern lecture. 
The severest things that had ever been said to me, 
had just been dinned into my ears, and when my 
mother in her angelic way, said, “ My dear, I hope you 
will succeed,” I replied, “ It’s no use, mother, I get 
no encouragement from father.” 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


9 


I did no better during this term. Sometimes I 
would attend to my studies for a few days, then sport 
and dreaming would get the better of me and I would 
drop back. At length the term was drawing near its 
close and I went in for cramming; but it was too late, 
and although I only wanted a few points of success, I 
was one of the “plucked.” 

I was ashamed to return home and was heartily 
sorry that I had not been more studious. In fact, I 
was ashamed to go anywhere; for I felt that every- 
body was saying, “There is the gentleman who was 
plucked after a five years’ course.” I had not thought 
about the public, or their opinions, but now I felt my 
disgrace keenly. 

A fellow student not much better than myself, but 
who had got just enough marks to secure his gradua- 
tion, and who lived near London, invited me to visit 
his home ; but I told him that I must first go home 
and then, if possible, I would visit him for a short 
time. For I felt that I would want to hide myself for 
awhile. 

I returned home. My mother kissed me and cried 
a little, and said she was so glad to see me, and that I 
was getting to be a fine-looking young mam and that 
she was proud of me. I was so ashamed that, for the 
first time in my life, I felt it a relief to go from her 
presence. 

My father returned at the usual hour in the evening, 
shook hands with me, asked after my health and said 
no more until after dinner, when he sent for me to 
come to him in the library. I went in and found him 


IO 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


alone standing with his back to the fire-place. I 
fairly trembled with shame until he got started, and 
then I trembled with anger; but answered never a 
word. He said I had disgraced my family. That 
he was ashamed to meet other men who had sons, 
and many things too hard for me to bear. He then 
asked me what I intended to do. I replied, “I am 
going to to see a college friend of mine for a few 
weeks, and in the mean time I will consider what I 
will do.” 

He replied that he thought I had better go to the 
colonies, for I could never hold up my head in Eng- 
land, and I said, “Very well,” and turned and left 
the room. 

I had not been a spendthrift ; out of my liberal 
allowance of pocket money I had saved over a hun- 
dred pounds ; so I felt that I was not altogether help- 
less and my pride gave me courage to do something 
desperate. 

I went to my room, and the next morning got up 
and packed my portmanteau, and managing to avoid 
meeting my father, I bade my mother an affectionate 
farewell, telling her that I w r ould go and visit my 
friend for a short time. 

I went to my friend’s home and stayed with him a 
couple of days, and wrote my mother from there a 
very affectionate letter. I then went to London, 
where I sold my expensive jewelry and chronome- 
ter, and bought a cheap watch and outfit, and secured 
a ticket for Melbourne, Australia, on a ship that would 
sail in three days. Having got my luggage on board 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


II 


and fully prepared to sail, I sat down and wrote my 
mother, telling her how I loved her and that some 
day I would come back, when I had proven that I was 
not altogether worthless. I did not tell her my desti- 
nation, nor the name of the vessel I was sailing by, 
and as I had booked under a fictitious name, I felt 
almost certain they would never be able to trace me. 

To my father I wrote, merely saying that I was tak- 
ing his advice and going abroad. 

I mailed these letters and went on board my ship, 
and before they had reached their destination, I was 
beyond recall. 


CHAPTER II. 


Sea-sickness — Arrival at Melbourne — I go to the gold 
mines — Successes and failures — Become proprietor 
of a sheep-run — Cheated by my partner — Hire out 
in New Zealand — Start for home — Wreck of the 
“ Watchword ” — The Commodore and his party — 
I am put in the Commodore' s boat — Am unkindly 
treated — We sight land. 

UR ship had not got out of sight of land, before 



V_>/ my troubles began and I had to take to my 
berth. For several days I was not able to be on deck, 
and when at last I crawled out I found the sea almost 
like glass, and the sails almost flapping against the 
masts. I inquired where we were and was told, “ Off 
the coast of Spain, and within a hundred knots of 
opposite Gibraltar.” I stayed on deck for several 
hours, but was so weak from my sickness that I was 
unable to sit. The cook gave me some broth and I 
ate it, and then retired to my berth and had a good 
sound sleep. The next morning I ate quite a comfort- 
able breakfast and went again on deck. The wind 
had increased in the night and we were moving slowly 
at the rate of six or seven knots. There was a slight 
motion to the ship and I soon found it affected me, 
so I went below and lay flat on my back in my berth. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


13 


For several days things went on in this way. So long 
as I lay perfectly still the only sickness that troubled 
me was home-sickness ; but as soon as I would try to 
move about sea-sickness was added. I heard that I 
was to be hauled out on crossing the equator, to pay 
tribute to Neptune; but I sent the sailors half a 
crown, and I was not disturbed. 

Our voyage was without incident and lasted over 
five months. More than half the time I was in my 
berth from mal de mer , and when at length we arrived 
at Sandridge pier I was so miserable that when I 
got to Melbourne, I had to go to the hospital for a 
week’s nursing. 

I did not expect that I would make a good sailor, 
and looked forward with apprehension to my journey; 
but had no idea that I would have proved such a mis- 
erable piece of float-wood. The captain said I was 
the worst hand on shipboard he had ever seen, and 
in fact, he never knew a woman to be as bad for such 
a length of time. 

A week from the day I landed, I left the hospital 
and went to a regular boarding house. There I found 
several men preparing to go to the diggings, as every- 
body seemed crazy with gold-fever. After conversing 
with one of these men, he suggested that I should 
make one of the party, and I consented. 

It took me a couple of days to purchase a few nec- 
essaries for the mines, and then I left for Ballarat. I 
had determined not to return home until I had made a 
splendid fortune, which I expected soon to secure, and 
then I would go and astonish them all. My habit of 


14 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


building aircastles served me well in this way: I 
can see the gold in my newly-discovered claim ; then 
a purchaser with thousands of pounds comes and I 
sell out, bank my cash and take the best cabin in a 
steamship for home. Arriving, I take them unawares; 
they are all pleased and astonished, and I am the 
lion of the hour. 

But these hopes were never realized. I worked a 
while for others, then located a claim of my own; 
roughed it and put up with the disappointments that 
followed as best I could. Sometimes a degree of 
good fortune would come, and once I had as much as 
a thousand pounds, then failure and almost actual 
want. 

For eight years I stuck to mining, always hoping, 
but never realizing. Then a long attack of illness 
completed my discouragement, and I returned to Mel- 
bourne, like hundreds of others, almost penniless and 
thoroughly broken down. 

I had adhered to the fictitious name under which 
I had shipped, and during all that time had never 
received a letter or a word from home. Had I now 
possessed enough to pay my passage I would have 
returned like the prodigal; but I did not possess as 
much and was too proud to write for it. So I deter 
mined to get into some situation, lay by my earnings 
and return as soon as I had accumulated enough. 

I met a man in Melbourne who was sent out to 
Tasmania to procure specimens of birds for museums, 
and as he was looking for an assistant to accompany 
him I engaged myself to turn. I spent two seasons 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 5 

at this, when my savings would have carried me home; 
but as it was at the stormy season of the year I dared 
not venture on the voyage. So I took a situation to 
go to the country and work on a sheep run, intending 
to sail for home as soon as the season of fair weather 
came. 

I did very well, and before the time arrived for my 
departure the proprietor offered me the f oremanship 
of the run. I thought it better to take this for a 
year, when I could go home with a few pounds in my 
pocket, and not appear to have made such an utter 
failure of it. 

Before my year was out, the proprietor offered me 
an eighth interest in the run for one thousand pounds, 
I to pay two hundred pounds down and the remainder 
to be taken from my share of the profits in three 
annual payments. The profits seemed to warrant this, 
and I estimated that at the expiration of five years I 
would be worth at least two thousand pounds. Then 
I could sell out and go home quite respectably. So I 
entered into this arrangement and everything went on 
well. At the end of the three years my capital was 
paid in and I had enough to warrant me in making a 
venture of another eighth to be paid off in two years. 

At the end of about a year and a half, and when by 
putting in all my savings my second eighth was nearly 
paid for, one day the sheriff’s officers came and seized 
everything visible. My partner — who resided in 
Melbourne — had been running the thing into debt 
until it was irretrievably gone, and had sailed for 
England. 


1 6 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

I went again to Melbourne, not worth enough to 
buy a passage ticket, and determined to write for 
money and go home. I sat down and wrote a letter 
to my father, and told him of all my mishaps and 
experiences and asked him to send me money enough 
to return with. I put this letter into my pocket and 
started for the post office, intending to get a stamp 
and post it. 

In going down town I had to pass the office where 
my partner’s business was being closed up, and I 
called to see how things were turning out. I there 
met a squatter from New Zealand, and got into con- 
versation with him and found that he had quite an 
extensive place. The sheriff’s officer told him that I 
had managed our run the best of any in the country, 
and that it was an outrage on me the way my partner 
had used me. The squatter said he wanted to get a 
good man on his run and that if I would go for a year, 
he would pay my passage and all expenses, and give 
me two hundred pounds. The sheriff’s officer advised 
me to take it, and I thought it would be more inde- 
pendent than to send for money. So I concluded to 
save my postage and go to New Zealand. 

The day after the next I was enjoying one of my 
anti-bilious attacks, which continued for nearly a week 
in crossing to New Zealand. In a few days more I 
was installed in my new situation, where things went 
on very smoothly. 

During the whole of that year, I never once faltered 
in my determination to return to England as soon as 
my term was up. I had been absent a long time and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 7 

all things would be greatly changed. Very likely my 
mother was in heaven; for she was never strong. 
My father bade fair to live to a good old age. If he 
were living he would surely welcome me ; but if dead, 
he had doubtless made provision for me in his will. I 
would go back and risk it. My wages would enable 
me to buy a ticket, and I would have enough left, on 
landing, to fit myself out with a decent suit, and then 
I could return looking respectable enough. 

I had lived so savingly that I was actually in rags, 
and was compelled to buy a suit of clothes before I 
could sail for home ; but as I was going steerage, and 
no person would know me, I bought a very cheap suit, 
a cheap soft felt hat and a pair of shoes. 

The ticket bought, I took a piece of very strong 
linen, and made a belt to go over one shoulder and 
under the other arm, and sewed my remaining sover- 
eigns into it and tied it at my side with a strong 
string. 

Fully equipped and ready to start, just as the stormy 
season was about to close, I thought I should escape 
a large * degree of suffering from my old trouble, 
sea-sickness. 

I went on board the “Watchword” about an hour 
before she was ready to sail, carrying my entire lug- 
gage in a small hand-bag. 

The day was fine and a gentle breeze blowing. The 
good-bys were said to the few passengers who were 
accompanying us, and we stood out to sea. For three 
days the weather was all that we could desire; a gen- 
tle breeze blowing from the west carried us directly 


1 8 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

in our course for the Cape at five or six knots an hour. 
Even I was not disturbed much in my stomach, and I 
sat most of the time on deck and speculated. 

At last, on my way home — how my heart beat at 
the thought! Every hour carrying me nearer to my 
loved ones. What changes awaited me ? How would 
they receive me ? 

On the morning of the fourth day out the wind had 
risen considerably and had changed to the south-east, 
or right in our teeth, and the sky looked very threat- 
ening. Although I was no sailor, I could see that we 
were in for a rough time. I saw that we were on tack 
as close to the wind as she could be held. The sea 
had not had time to rise yet; but from the choppy 
construction of the waves that the change of wind 
had made, and the appearance of an increasing storm, 
I predicted that I would not be long on my legs. 

Before noon the wind had risen to a gale, the rain 
was pouring down, and the ship was rolling and pitch- 
ing in the waves, and I was trying to resign myself 
to fate. 

For several days — it may have been three or it may 
have been twice that number — the most terrible 
storm raged, and I lay in my berth; or rather, held 
myself in my berth by sheer strength, the sickest man 
that ever lived. 

The hurrying of feet on the deck, the whistling of 
the wind through the rigging, the flapping of sails, the 
shouts of command, brought no terror to me. The 
sea yawning to receive me would not have frightened 
me, for it would have brought me relief. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


19 


At length I became aware of a terrible excitement. 
I heard crying, and everybody seemed filled with fear, 
and there was general confusion. I made out that 
the ship had sprung a leak. I heard the pumps work- 
ing, and the passengers praying, and I concluded that 
my sickness would soon end in the sea. 

How long this excitement continued I do not know; 
but it must have lasted for some days, when I dis- 
covered that I could hear the water splashing under 
the floor of our cabin. 

The storm had evidently ceased; but the water 
kept gaining on the pumps. My cabin was deserted, 
its occupants preferring to remain on deck, and I lay 
alone in my berth. Except the continual working of 
the pumps, all was still, and I began to speculate 
whether I would rather go down in the cabin or sink 
with the deck. Then I thought that the passengers 
and crew would likely take to the boats ; but so long as 
the pumps worked I knew they were still on the ship. 

By and by some one came down into the cabin, and 
looked about to see if there was any person left. 
Seeing me he came over and told me that I had 
better go on deck, for the ship was sure to sink in a 
few hours. It was the cook. He brought me some- 
thing to eat, and when it was taken he helped me to 
the deck, and made me as comfortable as possible. 

We remained two days longer on the ship, and the 
morning before we left the lookout sighted land in 
the direction in which we were drifting. My sickness 
was pretty well gone, and I ate of the food given me 
by the cook and felt a great deal better. 


20 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


During the forenoon the captain set to work to 
provide food and water, preparatory to our taking to 
the boats. A good feed was taken all around and the 
boats lowered. The captain gave one boat in charge 
of the mate, one in charge of the second mate and 
took one himself. The other and smaller boat he 
gave in charge of a gentleman who was called the 
Commodore — a friend of the captain. This man was 
Commodore of a prominent yacht club in England. 
He was one of a party of friends (composed of the 
Commodore, two young men, a lady and her niece) 
who had shipped on the “Watchword” because of 
their acquaintance with the captain. 

When all the boats were full I was still to be placed, 
and as there seemed no room for me in any of the 
others, the captain put me into the Commodore’s boat 
and told him to take care of me, for I had been very 
sick. The Commodore demurred in very strong lan- 
guage, saying that his boat was none too large for his 
friends and he did not want any riff-raff company. 
The captain said he w r as sorry to have to put me in ; 
but there was no help for it, so I was left to take my 
chances with the Commodore’s boat. 

In crossing the deck I saw an axe lying beside the 
bulwarks ; picking this up, I took it with me, thinking 
that it might be useful if we landed where there were 
no inhabitants. 

We all sailed away in company toward the land, 
which was not visible from our boats. The wind was 
light and we did not make much headway until night 
closed in. The ship still floated as the darkness hid 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


21 


her from view; but in the morning she was nowhere 
to be seen. 

About nine o’clock that evening a heavy mist arose, 
which seemed to climb up from the water, and shortly 
afterward the wind sprung up and increased all night. 
In the morning it was blowing a very sharp breeze. 
Not one of the boats was in sight, nor could we see the 
land. We had a small compass on board and also 
a glass. The Commodore scanned the horizon and 
imagined he saw the land and then made for it. 

I had been put into the bow and in front of the 
masts, and the rest were all in the body of the boat. 
My quarters were very cramped, and suffering as I was 
from my late sickness it was scarcely endurable. The 
Commodore put me on short allowance at once and 
gave me unmistakably to understand that I was an 
encumbrance that he chafed under enduring. He 
called me “ old man,” whenever he addressed me, and 
spoke in the most unkind manner. I did not reply to 
him, but submitted silently, as I was too sick and 
weak to use any energy for any purpose. 

The wind being contrary, we tacked all day, and at 
night we were still many miles from the land, which 
appeared a sort of speck on the water. The Com- 
modore kept up his process of tacking all night, or as 
long as the wind kept up ; for it fell, some time in the 
night, to a dead calm. 

Weary and sick and faint I had lain down in my 
cramped position and slept as well as I could, but had 
to wake and change my position many times. 

The small amount of food given me by the Com- 


22 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


modore had not much increased my strength, and 1 
felt as miserable as it was possible to do. Some time 
in the night I arose and stood leaning for a long time 
against the mast to overcome the effects of my cramp- 
ing. I then sat down and rested on the seat for some 
time, and then lay down again and slept. 


CHAPTER III. 


We near the land — The Commodore' s grudging hospital 
ity — Annie's kindness — The boat is driven ashore — 
I reach the land — Help the others ashore — Wreck 
of the boat — Am injured — Heartless conduct of my 
companions — My first meal on land. 

O N the morning of the third day I awoke about 
six o’clock and found myself so faint and 
cramped from the position I had lain in that I could 
scarcely move. Little by little I drew myself into a 
sitting position and began to take in the surroundings. 
The fog had lifted and there was not a breath of wind 
stirring; but a long, low sea still rolled, which lifted 
and then lowered us soothingly. My sickness had 
entirely left me and I felt much better, but very weak 
and hungry. I looked in every direction for the land, 
for I had lost my bearings. By and by I sighted it, 
just to our left, apparently about fifteen or eighteen 
miles distant. 

It was not long before those who had slept aroused 
themselves, and after discussing the surroundings, the 
Commodore suggested that they should eat. Know- 
ing that I would not be allowed to share it with them, 
or eat until they were through, I changed my posi- 
tion, so as to turn my face to the bow of the boat. 


24 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


that I might n ot see them while they were eating ; for 
now that I was no longer sick, I felt that I would 
have given all that I possessed in the world for a good 
meal; nor would I have been over-fastidious, either 
as to the character of the food, or its mode of 
preparation. 

Few people know by experience the agony of an 
intensely hungry man, sitting and listening to others 
eating their fill, while he is not so much as allowed to 
smell the food. It is no exaggeration to say, that that 
morning, sitting in that boat, with my back to those 
eaters, I suffered the most exquisite pain. I thought 
they would never finish their meal, and I am sure 
they loitered over it for fully one hour. At last I 
heard the welcome voice of the Commodore, in his 
most unpleasant tone, shout loudly, “I say, old man, 
would you like a biscuit this morning ?” Suiting the 
action to the word, he threw it toward me, as it might 
have been thrown to a dog, and it fell on the bottom 
of the boat. I picked it up and ate it with great 
avidity. I think I had never before eaten anything 
that tasted as sweet as that piece of hardtack did. 
When I had devoured it, t-he Commodore handed 
Charlie a cup of water to give to me, which I gladly 
drank. My hunger not being half satisfied I made so 
bold as to request the Commodore to kindly let me 
have another biscuit, as I was still very hungry, but 
he refused in the most peremptory manner, saying 
that I “might thank my stars that I had anything at 
all.” The young woman Annie held an undertoned 
conversation with the Commodore for a moment, and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


25 


then she slipped her hand into the bag and tossed me 
another biscuit. I looked my thanks to her and ate 
it, and then asked for another cup of water, which I 
secured through the same medium. Having finished 
these I again turned my face to the bow of the boat. 
I had only sat for a short time, when I began to feel 
sleepy, and leaning my head on the gunwale of the 
boat and covering my face with my hat, I was soon 
in the land of dreams, and in the next few hours 
I passed again through many of the scenes of my 
childhood and youth, in my dear old home in merry 
England. 

About noon I awoke with a start, and sitting up, I 
found that the wind had begun to rise, and our bow 
was directed toward the land. The wind continued 
to rise, and in an hour’s time was blowing at a fair 
rate, and we were driving smartly toward the shore. 
If the wind continued to blow and no fog arose to 
obscure our view, we would soon reach the land. 
I again turned and asked for something to eat, 
and another biscuit and drink were given to me as 
before. 

The wind kept on rising, and we were soon 
within a short distance of the land, and were able to 
make observations as to its character and the pros- 
pects of finding an easy landing. The land was 
evidently either an island of from four to five miles 
wide, or a narrow headland. While it was low — the 
highest point not being more than from two hundred 
to three hundred feet above the sea — the shores were 
all more or less precipitous and rocky. By this time 


26 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


the wind, which had continued to increase, had raised 
quite a swell, and the chances of landing easily and 
safely were against us. 

I turned and looked at the Commodore, to read his 
thoughts if possible, as to our prospects. He was 
standing and gazing most anxiously at the land, scan- 
ning it from end to end, to discover some bay or 
beach where a safe landing could be made. At 
length, apparently having satisfied himself that no 
such place presented itself, our bow was turned 
toward the east end, or leeward of the land, and we 
w T ere shortly making our way around the island at a 
distance of less than an eighth of a mile from the 
shore. As we passed around the east end, we dis- 
covered a place where an inclined projection was to be 
seen which, if once attained, would afford a means 
of reaching the top of the rock. The Commodore 
headed our boat straight for it. The waves were beat- 
ing against the rocks and it looked to me like a very 
dangerous undertaking; but as the Commodore did 
not ask any one’s opinion, he was allowed to have his 
own way. Being in the bow I felt that my chances of 
getting to shore were equal to those of any of the 
others, so rising painfully to my feet, and holding my 
axe in one hand, I was prepared for a spring, at the 
most opportune moment. The Commodore seeing me 
rise, commanded me with an oath to “sit down.” I 
obeyed, but crouched in such a position as to be ready 
for a spring. 

I soon became aware that the others were standing, 
and beginning to crowd forward, preparatory to land- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


27 


ing in a hurry in case of an emergency. When about 
one hundred feet from shore, as we settled between 
two waves, our keel struck upon a rock with such 
force as to throw all those who were standing into the 
bottom of the boat, while she trembled and creaked 
as if she were going to pieces. With one hand on the 
gunwale and the other on my axe I quietly awaited 
events. The next wave lifted us and threw the boat 
forward, and as she sank again between the waves, 
within twenty feet of the shore, she struck again, this 
time on a sharp-pointed rock, which pierced clear 
through the bottom, and impaled her for some sec- 
onds. The bow, being the heaviest, began to settle, 
and thinking that the best time for action had come, I 
threw the axe ashore and it happily struck on the 
ledge. I then stepped on the gunwale and sprang as 
far as possible toward the nearest point. Rising to 
the surface a stroke or two brought me to the shore, 
where I was soon safe on the ledge. The succeeding 
wave lifted the boat and threw her on the shore, the 
bow striking within a few inches of me. I at once 
caught hold of the boat and held on with all my 
strength, as the receding wave began to draw her 
from me. I barely succeeded in holding her while the 
occupants scrambled with all haste to shore, the 
Commodore bringing a small box of biscuits. This 
was scarcely accomplished, when the next incoming 
wave lifted the boat and threw her with great force 
forward, crushing me between her and the rock. I 
thought my end was come; but, though severely 
injured, I managed, when the receding wave relieved 


28 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


me of the pressure of the boat, to crawl up the ledge 
out of the reach of the waves. 

Looking toward the boat, which had been carried 
out about fifty feet, I saw her sink in the sea. I then 
turned my eyes toward the top of the cliff, hoping to 
see some of my companions, but none of them were 
visible. They had safely reached the top of the rock, 
and not one of them had turned to give one look or 
thought to the wounded man who had risked his life 
to save them. For, had I not held the boat to the 
shore, it would have been utterly impossible for them 
all to have got safely to land. 

I thought, surely they will come to my help as soon 
as the great excitement under which they have all 
labored has had time to subside, and they have 
missed me; so I lay still for some time. The tide 
was flowing in and the waves were rising higher and 
higher, and soon they began to reach my feet. I then 
commenced shouting for help, but no answer came. 
Being compelled to drag myself up higher, I tried my 
strength, and finding that no bones were broken, I 
determined, if possible, to reach the top. I managed 
to get on my hands and knees, and taking my axe in 
my hand I crawled slowly to the top of the rock, a 
distance of thirty or forty feet. The agony that I 
endured was something terrible ; but as I saw that I 
need expect no help from those who were sharers of 
my dangers, I had to “grin and bear it.” 

It was now about five o’clock. Since receiving my 
injuries a great thirst had come upon me, and I felt 
that I must secure a drink of water or die. Looking 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


2 9 


around I saw the tops of a few bushes, evidently grow- 
ing in a small gully about five hundred feet distant. 
This I determined to reach, in the hope that I should 
find water and at least, shade. I can scarcely tell how 
I reached the spot, crawling on my hands and knees, 
and making many stops in my painful journey. I was 
rewarded by finding, in the lowest part, a small moss- 
grown spot, with damp earth around it. In the mid- 
dle of this I scooped out, with my hands, a little hole 
a few inches deep, in the soft muck, and 'then sat down 
anxiously to await the results. Little by little the 
moisture settled into my small well, and it was per- 
haps not as long as it seemed, when by the aid of 
a large leaf, formed into the shape of a cup, I was 

able to procure a swallow of water. Under the 

shadow of a small bush I lay down and waited impa- 
tiently for each swallow to collect, when I would 
scoop it out with my leaf cup and drink it with great 

relish, regardless of the fact that it was nearly half 

mud. In spite of my bruises, I began to feel some- 
what refreshed. 

The sun was setting ; the shadows were around, and 
1 had just come to the conclusion that I must make 
a supperless bed under the little tree that was shelter- 
ing me, when I heard a slight movement near by, 
and looking in the direction from whence it came, I 
saw a small frog spring toward my little well. Reach- 
ing a stick that lay near, I aimed a blow at it, and his 
legs, eaten raw, formed my first solid morsel on our 
lonely island. With the aid of the stick, I was able 
to deepen and widen my well considerably, and before 


30 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I fell asleep for the night it furnished me with suffi- 
cient water to almost entirely satisfy my thirst. 

My bruises had now become so developed that I 
was able to locate them definitely, and before lying 
down for the night, I applied poultices of the mud 
that I had excavated from my well, to the worst spots. 
Then reclining upon the ground, beneath my friendly 
bush, I was soon in a restful sleep. 


CHAPTER IV. 


The Commodore's brutality — My first breakfast — My 
axe is taken — A gloomy day and night — Experience 
of my comrades in bushwhacking — I explore the 
island — The Commodore' s demand — I take u French 
leave" — A comfortable hiding-place. 

T HE next morning I was awakened by a noise 
near me. Upon raising my head I saw the 
Commodore approaching, followed by the whole com- 
pany. As soon as he saw my little well, he gave a 
chuckle, and cried to the others, “come on, here’s 
water.” I raised myself painfully on my elbow and 
begged of him, as I was unable to forage, to spare me a 
drink; for my thirst had returned nearly as severe as 
it had been the night before, and I felt very feverish 
from my bruises. With a blasphemous ejaculation he 
took up my leaf cup and scooped out every drop of 
water from my well and distributed it among his com- 
panions; not one of them evinced any pity for me. 
Having emptied my little well, he took my cup with 
him, saying it would “prove useful” to them. Nei- 
ther he nor any of the others inquired about my 
wounds, although they could see that I was bruised 
and that I had dressed my sores in the rude way I 
have described. 


32 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


After the Commodore and his friends had departed, 
I managed to get into a sitting position, although 
with very great difficulty, for I felt much sorer than I 
had the night before. I managed, however, to reach 
another leaf, which I formed into a cup like the first, 
and waited for the water to gather in my well, a 
mouthful at a time, and thus was my thirst gradually 
quenched again. 

The great difficulty that now stared me in the face, 
was how to get something to eat, for I realized that, 
though it were to prove the saving of my life, not one 
of my companions would turn a hand to help me. 

I reached out as far as I could and tasted the 
leaves, buds, bark, etc., of the bushes to find if any of 
them should prove at all palatable; but not one was 
fit to be eaten, except the leaves of a very small bush, 
which had a sort of mucusy taste, something like the 
buds of the basswood. Having eaten these I began 
to dig in the earth, in the hope of finding roots that 
might serve me. I succeeded in finding a few pun- 
gent roots, something like the krinkle. I had secured 
and eaten a few of these, when I heard voices, and 
presuming that my companions were returning to 
secure any water that might have settled in my well, I 
hastily seized my cup and scooped up nearly every 
drop that had gathered, and drank it off. Before I 
could get the cup from my lips the Commodore broke 
through the bushes in a great hurry, and seeing what 
I had done, he uttered a terrible imprecation and 
struck me a terrific blow with his open hand on the 
side of my head, which completely stunned me and laid 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


33 


me level on the ground. This blow caused me great 
pain in the head for many days, and through rupturing 
the tympanum of the ear left me permanently deaf 
on that side. His friends came on, but what they 
said or did I cannot tell; I have simply a confused 
idea that one of the young men called me a vile name. 
Discovering that I had found roots fit to eat, they 
began a search for my little krinkles, and when they 
were gone and I was again able to sit up, I 
searched in vain for a single root, so completely had 
they gone over the whole ground. 

On leaving me this time they carried off my axe. 
This gave me great anxiety; for, used to bushwhack- 
ing as I was, I knew and appreciated the value of it, 
and felt that, if robbed of it, my means of procuring 
food — should this prove to be an uninhabited island, 
as I then had a grave suspicion it would be found to 
be — was minimized. 

Amongst the leaves under the bushes I found faint 
and stale traces of either sheep or goats, and felt hope- 
ful that a supply of food might be found in something 
of this kind. 

Evening again drew near and I took good care to 
keep the water low in my well, for I knew that with 
plenty of water, I could recuperate, though I had but 
little to eat. I ate a little of the moss that grew on the 
muck, and a few slender moss-roots that I found below 
the moss, and had concluded that I had finished 
my evening meal, when hearing something stir, I 
looked and discovered another little frog. I soon 
killed it and sent it to look for its mate. Taking 


34 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


another drink and emptying my well I lay down to 
think. 

A sadder feeling than that which crept over me it 
would be hard to imagine. I had passed through 
many trials and hardships in my life ; but with a good 
constitution, and naturally hopeful disposition, I had 
always looked forward to the future with hope, but 
what was there here? Crushed almost to death by 
the boat, weakened by hunger until I was unable to 
search for food, my head fairly bursting with pain from 
the blow I had received, on an uninhabited island, 
with no means of escape and the only human beings 
within reach playing the part of cruel enemies. Hope 
died within me and I wept. Oh, that this might 
prove my last night on earth ; that I might fall asleep 
and never wake again in life! I thought of home — 
so long ago it seemed an age since I had known that 
home. I wondered if they were all alive ; and, if alive, 
did they ever think of me ? Would they care if they 
knew where I now was and how circumstanced ? 
Then I thought of. the Commodore and his compan- 
ions. Why do they seem to despise me as they do, 
and treat me as if I were a loathsome thing, so far 
beneath them ? Perhaps if they knew my family they 
would feel flattered by the attention of any of its mem- 
bers; but they did not know. Perhaps they thought 
I would prove a burden to them, and not be able 
to help procure supplies. Perhaps they hoped to 
hail a passing ship in a short time and would not 
need any service that I could render. If they should 
hail .a ship while I was in my present state, would 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


35 


they tell the captain of my presence or leave me on 
the island alone to die? 

Thus my thoughts ran on, until becoming confused 
I at length sank into a restless sleep. Between sleep- 
ing and waking, and dreaming fearful dreams I spent 
the long, weary night somehow, and as soon as the 
day dawned I sat up, and taking my cup I drank a 
good, long draught from my well; leaving enough 
water, however, to cause the Commodore to think that 
I had not tasted any, should he pay me another visit 
this morning. 

Sitting moodily and wondering what I would do for 
something to eat, my attention was attracted by a 
slight fluttering noise, and a chirp or two in the 
branches over my head. To my delight I saw a bird 
about the size of a small robin, perched upon a 
branch not more than three feet away, looking curi- 
ously at me. I cautiously reached for my stick, and 
with a quick blow brought it to the ground, and seiz- 
ing it, cut off its head with my pocket-knife. Fearing 
lest the Commodore should come and rob me of my 
breakfast, I snatched off its feathers, dissected it and 
ate its raw flesh with a greed that would have aston- 
ished a Christian. It seems to me now that a kind 
providence sent me that bird, for I never saw another 
on the island approaching its species. I hid the 
feathers under leaves, ate a few moss roots, took 
another drink and lay down again in anticipation of 
a visit from the Commodore. 

I had not lain many minutes, when the Commodore 
and his friends made their appearance, one of the 


36 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE 


young men carrying my axe. Thinking that I was 
asleep, they quietly appropriated my second leaf cup 
and helped themselves to the water from my well, 
until it was entirely drained. 

After searching fruitlessly for more krinkles, they 
left, but stopped at a little distance and held a coun- 
cil. It seemed that the gully in which I was located 
started a little south of where I lay and ran northward 
to the sea shore, growing gradually deeper as it 
neared the bluff shore. As there was no water in it 
now, it evidently served as a drain to carry off the 
water in the rainy season. Just where I reached it 
there was a tiny spring, its waters soaking into the 
mud and earth. The little well that I made drew this 
moisture out of the earth, and I was thus able to col- 
lect it. Enough moisture, however, remained in the 
gully to cause vegetable growth through its entire 
length, and this accounted for the small trees and 
shrubs growing in its hollow. The Commodore and 
his party had evidently followed the shore to the right 
from the place of landing and had entered this gully 
some distance to the north of my place, but not find- 
ing a spring, were unable to procure water sufficient 
for so many. They consequently decided to remove 
their camp close to mine, in the hope that they would 
either find water there or be able to appropriate what 
I had found. 

To prepare the place, one of them began using my 
axe vigorously, cutting down the small brush; but 
before he had struck many blows I heard a cry and a 
rush, and a good deal of commotion and confused 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


3 7 


talking. The axe had evidently glanced, and he had 
succeeded in cutting himself. It was probably the 
first time he had ever undertaken to use such a tool. 
It was some time before he was taken care of; but 
when this was done I heard the Commodore, in a 
brusque and swaggering way, assert that he would 
undertake the job; he, however, had not struck half a 
dozen blows, when a volley of oaths and a string of 
imprecations upon me and my tool, coupled with the 
words “broken head,” convinced me that he had 
caught the axe in its descent on an overhead limb, 
which had caused the axe to strike his head. After a 
little the third man tried it, and I could tell by the 
blows that he was working very cautiously. He had 
worked but a few minutes, when an exclamation from 
him, with a few low curses, led me to believe that he 
had struck a small bush in such a way as to cause 
it to switch him smartly in the face. The job seemed 
now to be abandoned, and the Commodore, seizing the 
axe, threw it over the bushes in my direction, yelling 
out as he did so that he hoped the beastly tool would 
cut my “infernal old head off.” 

I soon heard their voices passing northward out of 
hearing, and I hoped that they were about to leave this 
part of the island altogether. They very likely would 
have done this, but for the fear that they might not 
be able to procure water elsewhere. 

About noon the wind began to blow rather strongly, 
and as the heat was not so oppressive as in the earlier 
part of the day, I determined to try my strength and 
find if it was at all possible for me to walk. After 


38 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


gaining my feet with the greatest difficulty, I managed 
to hobble to the axe, which lay about six feet away. 
I then cut a strong staff out of a small tree and with 
the axe for a cane in one hand and the staff in the 
other I practiced my limbs for a little while, walking 
backward and forward a few steps. At length I con- 
cluded to move out of the bushes to a higher spot of 
ground for the purpose of viewing my surroundings. 

We had landed on the east end of the island. The 
island appeared, as far as I could see, to be not more 
than from a mile to a mile and a half wide in its 
widest part. The east end was almost level for 
about a mile inland, though rugged and barren, except 
in the few small gullies which were to be seen. It was 
about forty feet above the sea, with precipitous and 
rocky shores. The place where we landed was the 
only one on the east where we could have ascended 
the cliff, although there were two or three good 
approaches on the north side farther west. 

Looking westward about a mile from my stand- 
point, in the middle of the island, a rocky hill arose 
to a point about two hundred feet above the sea. 
Beyond the sides of this hill, in the distance, I could 
see the tops of trees ; but whether they were large or 
small I could not tell, for the foggy state of the atmos- 
phere made it difficult for me to judge of their size. 

Around the top of the hill I could see some large- 
sized birds flying, and I concluded that, if not too 
late in the season, their nests would furnish us with 
eggs, and they would themselves, if captured, furnish 
food. 







- WHe«6 
THJ Boat 
WA* BVltJ 


w5pM5 

TRAP V*K? / 


POND, 


SUNKEN 

WftECK 


THE ISLAND 






















- 








































































.. 








A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


39 


Here, then, was the place where a living could be 
found, if I only had the strength to accomplish the 
journey. My long fasting and bruised condition 
made this very problematical, and so I determined to 
crawl back to my nest and wait another day or two. 
I turned to go, when I heard voices, and looking 
northward I saw the Commodore coming, with the 
young man called Herbert. They reached me before 
I got back to my lair, when the Commodore accosted 
me after this fashion : 

“Well, old man, so you have got out, have you? I 
think it is time ; and now I want you to stir yourself 
and build a cabin for the ladies just below you there, 
and dig a well, and then start and forage for food. 
We have concluded that you have lived long enough 
in idleness, and if you don’t get to work and help get 
a living, we will dump you into the sea, a thing we 
ought to have done when you were imposed upon us 
by that bull-headed Captain of the “Watchword.” 
Perhaps you can handle that infernal tool that you 
brought along from the ship, without chopping your 
legs off — we can’t. It has laid one of our party up 
and you will have to do his work. Do you hear?” 

I replied that I heard, and as soon as I was able, 
I thought I would show myself competent to handle 
the axe and do my share of the work. 

The Commodore and Herbert went to my well and 
drank, and then returned the way they came. I stood 
leaning on my staff and axe until they were out of 
sight. 

I then began to reason thus : “ If I remain here the 


40 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Commodore will compel me to do work that I am 
utterly unable to perform, and half starve me at that. 
I may as well use what strength I can command to 
reach some place where he will not find me for some 
time, and there recuperate my health and strength.” 

I had lost my hat in our struggle in landing and my 
head ached from the Commodore’s blow; but as the 
fog was increasing and somewhat obscuring the rays 
of the sun, I determined to make an effort to reach 
the hill that lay before me, and so I set out. 

Fear and indignation both played a part in urging 
me to greater effort than my strength warranted, and 
an hour later found me at the foot of the hill, on 
its south side. Desperation gave me courage and 
strength, and slowly and painfully I began the ascent, 
moving around the hill as I rose higher and higher 
until, as I neared the top, I found myself on the west 
side. Here near the top was a flat place, the west 
side not rising as high by twenty or thirty feet as the 
east side; and it was on this flat spot — comprising 
about two acres — that the birds had their nests. I 
soon found some good eggs — for it proved to be not 
too late in the season — about the size of hens’ eggs. 
I had drank off about a dozen of them, when it struck 
me that it would be wise to use moderation, and put 
the others aside. Wearied nearly to death, I sat down 
on a stone to rest and view the landscape; but the 
fog, which had been thickening, shut most of this out. 
I discovered, however, that on the northwest side of 
this hill was a strip of wooded territory, in which there 
was likely to be water, and as the distance was not 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


41 


more than an eighth of a mile, I made up my mind 
to reach it. 

The birds, disturbed by an intruder of a kind with 
which they were unacquainted, kept flying around and 
near me. They were about the size of a small, com- 
mon goose, with wings proportionately larger than 
their bodies. They soon began to venture so close 
to me that I thought it possible to strike one with my 
staff. I succeeded in doing this and then cut off its 
head with my knife, to allow it to bleed. 

I now collected as many eggs as I could carry 
safely in my pockets, and taking up my fowl, began my 
descent. I found at the foot of the hill a very con- 
venient place for a camp. Springs in the hillside 
made quite a little rivulet of good, cool water, and the 
trees growing in the depression through which it ran 
we,re sufficiently large to form an excellent shade; 
while for some distance on either side of this strip of 
living wood, there were dry fallen trees that must — 
in the years gone by — have been uprooted in some 
violent storm. 

I gathered some dry wood, and whittling it with 
my knife, prepared to make a fire, provided the few 
matches that I had in my pocket, in a little case, had 
not become worthless through having got wet when I 
jumped into the sea. I was delighted at last when 
one of them burned, and my kindlings lighted. I 
found it a painful job, but I eventually succeeded in 
gathering sufficient wood to keep up my fire all night. 

I plucked and dressed my fowl and fastened it to 
the end of a pole in front of the fire and left it to 


42 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


roast. Placing a pole against a tree, and cutting 
branches and laying them against it, I made a sort of 
barricade in which to sleep, and put some branches 
on the ground under this for a bed. 

Preparing this bed and getting more wood occupied 
some time, and my fowl being fairly well roasted on one 
side, I put some eggs in the hot ashes to bake, and 
soon made a good supper of substantial food. Chang- 
ing the position of the remainder of my fowl before the 
fire and heaping on more wood in such a position as 
to make it last all night, I lay down to sleep, in a 
more contented frame of mind than at any time since 
leaving the “Watchword,” and expected to sleep 
soundly, in spite of my aching head and bruised body. 


CHAPTER V. 


I am prevented from sleeping — The goats— I kill a 
kid — My trap — Capture of the goat — A hard day's 
work — My bed-chamber — A sound night’s sleep — 
My pottery manufacture — A reverie — An exploration 
of the swamp — Discovered by the Commodore — His 
brutal greeting . 

H OW vain are our expectations. When I lay 
down, expecting to sleep soundly, in spite of 
my pains, I had not anticipated that animal life on the 
island, unused to firelight, would be attracted to it, 
wishing to make an investigation of this, to them, 
new element. If I had any slight fears of interrup- 
tion, it was from the Commodore ; but I did not much 
fear that he would dare to trust himself so far from his 
camp in the night. My interruptions came from quite 
another direction than from human foes. 

I had no sooner composed myself for sleep than I 
became aware of noises that I had not heard or 
noticed before. At first they excited my fear, for I 
thought they might proceed from wild beasts, which 
would make things very unpleasant for me. I knew 
that all wild beasts were afraid of fire, and so long as it 
burned brightly I was safe; but to keep it burning 
brightly required vigilance, and I felt sure that if I 


44 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


once fell asleep, there would be no waking me until 
weary nature was fully satisfied. 

Knowing that knowledge of evil is preferable to fear 
of evil, I arose, and moving to a little distance from the 
fire and hiding myself in the shadow of a bush, I 
tried to discern the character of the intruders. I had 
not long to wait when I heard, at a short distance 
from me, a faint bleat, which might have proceeded 
from a lamb or a kid. As soon as I heard this my 
fears all departed and I returned to my barricade. I 
remembered the traces I had seen before, and I 
reasoned that if either sheep or goats were safe abroad 
at night on the island, there were no beasts of prey 
there. 

Little by little the noise and tramping drew nearer, 
as the animals became bolder in their investigations. 
At length I got occasional glimpses of them, as they 
would step further forward, gaze at the fire and then 
retreat. Nearer and nearer the bolder or more fool- 
ish ones would go at each succeeding visit, until at 
last they would approach within ten feet of the fire, 
stand looking at it, occasionally stamping their feet, 
then with a stamp and sort of snort, they would with- 
draw, and others would take their places. I lay in my 
barricade of bushes and watched — with too much 
interest to allow of my growing sleepy — this flock of 
wild goats ; for I saw in them our future food supply, 
should we be compelled to remain any great length 
of time on this island. 

They soon found that my barricade would serve 
them as a sort of breastwork, behind which they drew 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


45 


up close to the fire, and then stepping to one side of 
it, stood gazing at the wonder. None of them seemed 
to have observed me, so intent were they looking into 
the fire. Presently a sleek kid, less than half grown, 
stepped from behind my barricade and well forward 
toward the fire. As it stood gazing and blinking, 
within three feet of me, I thought it a good chance to 
get a supply of food for several days, and, at the risk 
of frightening the flock, I cautiously raised my heavy 
staff, and brought it down with great force upon the 
back of its neck. It fell at once, and reaching out, I 
drew it in front of my barricade, and taking out my 
knife, bled it. A great commotion now ensued 
amongst the goats. They seemed to know that some- 
thing had happened of a frightful nature, and they 
stampeded back to some distance from the fire. It 
was fully an hour before they again became bold 
enough to draw as near as they did at first. 

While the goats were regaining their courage, I 
stripped the skin off my kid, dressed it, and cutting a 
stick for a gambril, thrust it through the hind legs 
and hung it in front of my fire on the pole where I 
first hung my fowl. I then put more fuel on the fire, 
thinking that if I could not sleep my kid might as well 
be cooking. The goats seeing me moving about, 
seemed quite as much surprised at me and as little 
afraid of me as they were in the first place of the fire. 
They were soon back acting much as before, and 
pressing very close to the end of my barricade. 

Noticing that many of them gave suck, the thought 
struck me that if it were possible to capture and 


46 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


domesticate these, we would be able to get a supply of 
milk. How to capture one in my present state was 
the difficulty. If I had been strong and had some 
place to imprison it, the task would have been an easy 
one. But thinking on a desirable object often brings 
the means of securing it. The only article that I had 
about me strong enough to hold one of the goats by 
the neck, was the linen belt that I carried my money 
in. Growing just at the end of my barricade, was a 
small tough tree of some kind of oak, about the size 
of a man’s wrist. It occurred to me that if I securely 
fastened one end of my belt to this tree and made a 
slip-noose on the other end, the goat could be firmly 
held. Slipping off the belt, I soon fixed the noose 
and fastened the other end firmly to the tree, about 
two feet from the ground. I then gathered a small 
bunch of tall, tough grass from beside the little stream, 
with which to fasten the noose, so as to prevent it 
choking the captive. This done I placed a bush near 
the end of the barricade and secreted myself behind 
it, to quietly await events. 

The goats having seen me moving about were again 
timid for some time, but eventually grew bolder. It 
was, however, some time before just the kind of goat 
that I wished to capture came within reach. Pres- 
ently a large she goat, with a little kid close behind her, 
came up and moved near to my bush; other goats 
pressed her a little and she stepped forward within 
reach. Slipping my hand under the bush, I caught 
her firmly by the fore foot and rising up at the same 
time, I lifted her fore parts from the ground, and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


47 


catching her neck under my arm had my noose over 
her head in a twinkling. Then taking the bunch of 
grass I soon had it fixed so that it could not choke 
her. During this operation, she bleated and struggled 
to the utmost of her strength of lung and limb, which 
had the effect of so frightening the flock that scarcely 
a sound could be heard after I got through with this 
job. 

My captive sprang and bleated, and bleated and 
sprang, until she was completely exhausted. I fixed 
up my fire again, and taking some of the branches of 
my barricade to a little distance, so as not to be too 
much interrupted by the goat’s antics, I lay down and, 
in spite of all the noise and excitement, I fell asleep, 
and did not wake again until the broad light of day 
was on the earth. 

I soon stirred up my fire and renewed the fuel, and 
turned my kid on its extemporized spit. Then, after 
bathing in the little rivulet, and taking a good draught 
of its cool waters, I ate a hearty breakfast of the 
remainder of my food and some eggs cooked in the hot 
ashes. I wondered how I had been able to accom- 
plish all the work that I had done since leaving my 
camp yesterday; but no doubt plenty of food and 
drink had given me such strength as I could not 
otherwise have possessed. A hard day’s work now 
lay before me, and I felt quite unable to do all that I 
felt must be done. 

The captive goat must be imprisoned, and a pen for 
that purpose must be built ; so, going to some distance 
to one side of the gully, amongst the dry trees, I cut 


48 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


small logs and built a pen about three feet high, after 
which I cut heavier logs and put them on top, so that 
she would not be able to dislodge them in her efforts 
to escape. I then covered this pen over and put some 
stones on the top of all. I soon had her safe in this 
pen and my belt back again under my shirt. 

The next thing to get was some kind of vessels in 
which fluid could be kept, and from which to drink. 
I found, at a short distance from my rude abode, a soil, 
partly of clay, which I believed I could mould into 
earthen ware. Sharpening a hard stick, I loosened a 
quantity of this soil and carried it to my camp, where 
I mixed it with water from the brook, to the right con- 
sistency, and then formed several small vessels, about 
the size of coffee cups, and some larger ones like 
bowls, and others about the size of earthen pans, such 
as I have seen farmers use to keep milk in, and two or 
three for pitchers. These I placed where both the 
heat of the fire and sun would reach them, so as to dry 
them ready for burning. 

The sun being very hot, seemed to increase my 
headache, and I set to work to make a hat. I took 
twigs and bent them in the shape of a hoop the size 
of my head, and then wove large leaves into these in 
such a way as to make both the crown and brim. I 
cannot say that it was either beautiful or artistic, but it 
certainly answered the purpose well, and proved a 
great comfort to me. 

I now thought my goat should be milked, but as she 
had been so excited and overheated I knew the milk 
would not be fit to use, and so I allowed it to fall upon 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


49 


the ground. By putting a pole across the pen over 
her back and head, so that she could not spring up, 
and another pole against her side, which held her 
against the side of the pen, I was able to milk her 
without much difficulty. I then brought her some 
grass from the gully. She refused to eat, and kept up 
an almost incessant bleating ; I felt sure, however, that 
she would soon become quite domesticated. 

Being nearly exhausted with my labors, and my kid 
having got fairly well cooked, I ate a very hearty meal 
of kid and eggs, finishing with some roots of krinkle 
and small leaves from a bush, similar to the one I had 
found in my first camp. I then lay down and slept 
for a couple of hours. After rising I climbed the hill 
for more eggs, and brought back as many as I could 
carry in the back of my coat, holding the skirts and col- 
lar with my arm like a loose bag. The fog was too 
thick for me to make observations on this trip, and so 
I did not tarry long on the hill-top. 

It was now about five o’clock, and as the Commo- 
dore had not yet found me I concluded that he would 
not come that day, and so I set to work to prepare for 
sleeping and keeping up my fire. I first prepared 
plenty of fuel and placed it in a convenient spot to be 
put on the fire; then I commenced to make a bed, 
which I thought had better be out of the reach of both 
jumping insects and wild goats. I cut two strong 
poles and put them into crotches of trees, parallel with 
each other, about eight feet apart and a little higher 
than my head. On these I laid a number of smaller 
poles close together, something like the corduroy 


50 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


bridges I had seen over swamps. On this floor I laid 
small branches, and on top of these a quantity of long 
grass. Laying other poles in the trees about four feet 
higher and covering them over thickly with leafy 
branches, I turned this into a sort of aerial bower, 
which in that warm climate, was preferable to a room 
in a palace. I cut off the limbs of a small tree, stand- 
ing close by, at a little distance from the trunk, and 
these formed the steps of a ladder, by which I could 
ascend or descend from my bed. 

After making a hearty supper of kid and eggs, I 
built up a good fire, and finding that my smaller 
earthen vessels were pretty well dried, I placed a num- 
ber of them in the fire and retired to my bed, just as 
darkness was beginning to settle on the island, and in 
a very short time my sore and weary frame was enjoy- 
ing a greatly-needed repose. 

The morning sun was shining when I awoke from 
a most profound and unbroken sleep. My fire was 
burned to embers ; the flies were humming and buzz- 
ing about the remains of my kid, which I had hung 
from the top of a small tree, in the same way as the 
Indians hang their deer, and my goat was bleating 
wildly. 

Whether any wild goats had again visited me or not 
I could not say. My sleep had been of such a char- 
acter that it would have required something louder 
than thunder to have awakened me. I was greatly 
refreshed, although I still felt very sore. A few more 
days of plenty to eat and nights of unbroken rest, and 
I would be myself again. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


51 


Descending from my bed, I soon had my fire blaz- 
ing, and my roast kid too near it for the flies to 
further trouble it. I also found my vessels burnt 
sufficiently to allow of being used. A few only had 
broken in the fire, and the others I set up to cool. 

Taking one of the cups, I went to the brook and 
had the first drink of my life from an earthen vessel 
of my own manufacture. I then took the largest ves- 
sel that I had burned, and filling it with water, carried 
it to my goat. Placing it in her pen, I left her to her- 
self for a time, and when I returned with a bundle of 
grass that I had gathered for her, I found that she 
had drank the water. I again filled the dish and 
returned it to her, and left her while I breakfasted on 
the same fare as before. 

After breakfast I milked the goat, using one of my 
new dishes to receive the milk. I procured at this 
milking nearly a quart, which, after cooling, by setting 
the vessel in the water of the brook for a time, I 
drank off at one draught. 

I felt sure that I would see the Commodore this 
day ; unless, indeed, too glad to get rid of me, he was 
willing to leave me to myself. But from what I had 
seen of the three men, I was convinced that not one 
of them had ever spent a day bushwhacking in his life. 
They had the appearance and manners of men who 
had thought work of any kind beneath them; men 
who, having been born of parents who were possessed 
of some wealth, thought yachting, racing, dancing, flirt- 
ing, etc., were the only suitable occupations for them. 
Now they had come to circumstances where these 


52 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


things were of no avail, but where mechanical and 
inventive skill and practical experience were at a pre- 
mium, and gentlemanly indolence at a discount. What- 
ever induced such men as these to go to the colonies? 

Possibly none of them could have boasted of 
wealthier parents than I. Not one of the three could 
have had better social advantages than I had known in 
my early days, but now that I was in this plight, I was 
glad of my experience. I could live on the island and 
provide for myself, whether they could do the same 
or not; and if they were not prepared to treat me not 
only as an equal, but with respect, they could not 
expect to share the fruit of my toil. Once my bruises 
were healed and my strength regained, I knew that, 
small as I was in stature compared with the Commo- 
dore, he would require to be careful how he undertook 
to impose on me. He would before long find out the 
“old man” was no craven. And why should he call 
me the “old man?” In years I was not older than 
the Commodore himself. But for the effects, first of 
my sickness and then of my accident, I was quite his 
equal in agility; but the epithet was intended to be 
one of contempt, and so long as they used it toward 
me they intended it to convey contempt. 

Then the ladies — such ladies! Their manner of 
expression showed some education and refinement ; but 
where was the soul of the true lady ? Why did they 
not expostulate with the Commodore on his cruel treat- 
ment of me ? Why did they not show their apprecia- 
tion of my act in saving them ? They certainly never 
would have got to shore, but for my holding the boat ; 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


53 


and through doing so I got crushed against the rocks. 
Were they so entirely under the influence of the Com- 
modore that they dare not oppose him? The only 
act of kindness shown by either of them toward 
me, was when Annie procured for me the second 
biscuit on the day of landing. Perhaps they, too, 
looked upon me as a probable burden. Well, they 
would find that I was not likely to become a burden 
to anyone. 

After breakfast I sat down and indulged in a reverie, 
something like the foregoing. Arousing myself, I 
began to clear out all the brush, weeds, etc., from under 
my bower bed. I then cut poles, and placing one end 
of them on the ground, leaned them against the bed, 
until I had them on all sides, leaving only an opening 
for a door on the side next to the fire. Over these I 
put an abundance of branches, with large leaves on 
them, until I made it quite an enclosure, about ten by 
fifteen feet inside. This done, I took a pole with me 
and ascended the hill, in the hope of getting a pros- 
pect of the island to the west of my camp. Then I 
would kill a fowl, if possible, and procure some eggs. 
I observed a swamp a little distance west of my camp, 
which I decided to explore at once. There was no 
sign of a sail, so I killed a couple of fowl, gathered as 
many eggs as I could carry in my coat, and returned 
to my hut. Milk, eggs, fowl, kid ! What more could 
I want, unless something of a granular and vegetable 
character ? 

After cooking and eating my dinner, I started to 
explore the swamp that I had seen. I found that 


54 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


around the edge there was a fringe of wild rice grow- 
ing, which, if our stay was prolonged on the island 
until it ripened, would prove excellent food. I 
also found that there were large numbers of frogs in 
the water. I succeeded in capturing several of the 
frogs, and cutting off the hind legs put them in my 
pockets ; for although I had never become accustomed 
to this decidedly French dish, I had learned in my 
very short experience here, not to despise anything 
that would both fill the stomach and satisfy the crav- 
ings of hunger. I also found a sort of plantain grow- 
ing plentifully in that region, the leaves of which 
tasted somewhat like spinach, and I gathered a few 
leaves of it to test its value as an edible. 

Satisfied with the result of my short exploration, I 
returned to my hut, to find it occupied by the Com- 
modore and Herbert. They had discovered my loca- 
tion shortly after I left for the swamp, and finding the 
remains of the roasted kid, roasted fowl, eggs, etc., 
they had helped themselves to their utmost, and were 
just preparing to leave and carry with them every 
edible that I possessed, when I returned, in time to 
receive the Commodore’s benediction. 

He saluted me something after this fashion: “Well, 
you old brute, so you skipped out and left us, did 
you? It matters not to you that we are starving, so 
that you may roll in plenty. It is nothing to you that 
Charlie is laid up a cripple, perhaps for life, from that 
infernal tool of yours; that Mrs. Travers is nearly 
insane with grief; that Annie is lying on the ground 
sick with a fever, and that we have not a morsel to eat. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


55 


You selfish old fraud, why did we ever allow you to 
land with us on this island? Why did we not dump 
you into the sea as we ought to have done? I have a 
mind to take that infernal tool from your hand and 
cleave your skull with it. You had better have a care 
to yourself. Now remember I” 


CHAPTER VI. 


I brave the Commodore — His cowardice — / send him 
off — Discoveries in the swamp — My companions conie 
to my tent — Mrs. Travers' plea — I make a compro- 
mise — The invalids — My decision — My terms to the 
Commodore and Herbert. 

W HILE the Commodore was giving vent to his 
wrath I stood still, looking him intently in 
the eye. When he stopped, I asked, “Are you 
through ? ” 

“No; by heavens!” he roared. “I will never be 
through with you until I kill you, you old fraud.” 

“If you will allow me to say a word, we will per- 
haps understand each other better,” I said, calmly, 
“ I want you to understand that you did not bring me 
to this island; I am indebted to you for nothing. I 
am not your servant, and I will take no more of your 
abuse. I am now almost recovered from my bruises, 
and can protect myself against any such ungrateful 
tyrant as you have proved yourself to be, and if it 
comes to cleaving skulls, you will find that two can 
play a part in that game; so look out, and in future 
keep your threats to yourself. I paid my fare on the 
‘Watchword.’ The captain of that sinking ship put 
me into one of its boats, and put provisions into that 
boat for me to share, and you usurped authority over 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


57 


those provisions and refused me my portion. When 
you foolishly landed in the dangerous place you did, 
and wrecked the boat, I saved the lives of yourself 
and friends, at the peril of my own, and suffered a 
severe crushing against a rock, the effects of which I 
yet feel. You took advantage of my weak state to 
beat and abuse me, and rob me of my food and drink. 
Now I have left you. I owe neither you nor your 
companions anything. I want to have nothing to do 
with you or them. I want you to have nothing to do 
with me ; and if ever any of your company are in dis- 
tress, and need my help, they must ask it as from a 
stranger whom they had never met before. We are 
quits ! I want you further to understand, that if you 
ever enter my hut again and eat my food without per- 
mission, that you will not live to eat the next meal. 
Further, I wish you to know that I am an Englishman; 
that my family is one of the most honorable and 
honored in the realm; that I am quite your equal 
socially and in every other respect, and I shall brook 
no more of your low abuse. Do you hear me ? ” 

Seizing my heavy staff with both hands and lifting 
it ready to strike, I said, “ Now, by the eternal ! lay 
down my food and my goods, and get out of my 
camp, or I will open the first cemetery on this lonely 
island before the sun sets.” 

My anger had grown with my words, and I was on 
the point of bringing my terrible club down on his 
head, when Herbert, springing between us and lifting 
his hand, imploringly cried, “ For heaven’s sake, gentle- 
men, don’t fight. We cannot afford to quarrel when 


58 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


we are so much in need of each other’s help. Please 
don’t fight; but leave it to me to settle between you.” 

The Commodore had not expected such a display 
of spirit on my part. He began to draw back and, 
laying down the food that he held in his arms, said, 
“ If it were not for the ladies I would never consent to 
a truce between us, after your most preposterous and 
impudent harangue.” 

“Herbert,” I said, “let the Commodore leave and 
return to his camp; you can remain and I will see 
what I can do with you.” 

Herbert persuaded the Commodore to leave, which 
he did. I then told Herbert to sit down and I would 
prepare something for him to take to the ladies, and 
if he would return to-morrow and each succeeding 
day, I would send them something until they recovered 
their health ; but after that they must forage for them- 
selves. I would have nothing whatever to do with the 
Commodore, and he must give my cabin a wide berth 
in the future. 

I milked my goat and put the milk into one of my 
new vessels, fried the legs of the frogs, boiled a num- 
ber of eggs, and gave him one of the roast fowl. Thus 
loaded, I started him back to his camp. 

When he was gone I prepared my fuel for the night, 
fed my goat and ate my supper. Having boiled some 
of the plantain, I ate a small quantity of it, and found 
it very pleasant to the taste. If it proved wholesome 
it would make a desirable addition to my food supply. 
I then made up a rousing fire, and my larger vessels 
being sufficiently sun-dried, I put a number of them 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


59 


into the fire to burn. It was still twilight when I 
retired, feeling very weary. I soon fell into a sound 
sleep, from which I did not awake until the morning. 

Upon arising, I first fixed my fire, and finding that 
my vessels were not sufficiently burned, I replaced 
them in the fire. I fed and milked my goat, and set 
the milk to cool. Having found no ill effect from the 
plantain that I ate the night before, I cooked enough 
for my breakfast to nearly serve a whole meal and 
found it very pleasant eating, particularly so as I had 
been so long without any cooked vegetable food. 
After fitting up my camp and leaving everything in 
order, I started for the swamp. I succeeded in cap- 
turing several frogs and gathered a quanity of plan- 
tain. In ascending from the swamp, I saw a bush 
that I had noticed on my previous visit, but had not 
tasted. I tasted the leaves, and found it very like 
green tea, but more bitter. Knowing that the tea-plant 
had been found growing wild in India I thought I 
would try it, in the hope that it would prove a refresh- 
ing beverage. I plucked enough leaves to fill one of 
my pockets, and on returning to camp, spread them on 
a warm stone in front of the fire to dry. I then steeped 
a few of the leaves and drank the liquid, which was 
not unpleasant, and I concluded that a taste for it 
could easily be cultivated. 

I then began to prepare my dinner, which was to 
consist df roast fowl, fried frog’s legs and boiled plan- 
tain, and possibly a cup of tea. I had scarcely com- 
menced when, hearing voices, I looked up, when to my 
astonishment and chagrin, there was Mrs. Travers 


6o 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


coming at a creeping gait, indicating great feebleness. 
Close behind her was Herbert, with his arm around 
Annie, and her head hanging on his shoulder. She 
was pale and evidently very sick. Charlie followed 
close behind these, traveling with two sticks — one in 
each hand — and taking alternate steps with the sticks 
and his sound foot, while holding the wounded foot 
from the ground. The Commodore was following 
slowly at some distance behind Charlie, and apparently 
did not intend to come near my hut until peace was 
made between us, as he sat down on a small tree at 
some distance away. 

Mrs. Travers leading the van was the first to speak, 
and addressing me, she said, “Well, uncle, we have 
come to ask you to help us in our great dilemma.” 
This was the first time that any one of them had 
called me by any other name than “old man” since 
we first met. 

Looking the chagrin that I felt, I did not reply for 
some seconds. She halted, and with a look of almost 
despair, said, “Won’t you let us come?” My heart 
was touched with pity, seeing their plight, but it was 
hard to altogether overlook their treatment of me. I 
replied, “The sick and lame may come, until they are 
better; the others must take care of themselves.” 
“Thank you ever so much,” she said, as she came for- 
ward and entered the hut, and was followed by Annie 
and Charlie. 

At one end of the hut I had driven four stakes into 
the ground, two at either side; across each of these 
pairs of stakes were laid cross pieces, and on these 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


6 1 


again, beside each other, the two halves of a split log, 
with the flat sides up. This bench was about eight 
feet long and the right height for a seat. The three 
invalids sat down upon it, while Herbert stood looking 
as if he did not know what to do. Presently Mrs. 
Travers said, “ Herbert must be allowed to stay to help 
take care of us, and as the Commodore had charge 
of us from my niece’s father, he, too, must be allowed 
to remain.” 

I replied, “You have come to my hut in distress, 
and I have welcomed you because of your distress, 
but I must be allowed to dictate who shall receive my 
hospitality. If you can accept it on my terms, you 
are welcome to it; if not, then you must retire. For 
the Commodore, I will not allow him to enter my 
hut, and if he ever does so without my knowledge, you 
will receive no more hospitality from me. Let him 
know that these are the conditions upon which I will 
take care of you, until you regain your health. Then, 
of course, you will return to him and we part. Her- 
bert, who has not treated me kindly, but not so bru- 
tally as the Commodore, may sleep in one end of this 
hut, and cook his victuals at my fire; but he must 
provide his own fare. I will not work for and feed 
those who are as able to work as I am.” 

Herbert asked me where he would go to procure 
food. I replied, “Go to the hill for eggs or fowl; or 
go to the swamp and kill some frogs and gather some 
plantain. You are stronger than I am and I will not 
feed you.” 

Herbert went back to the Commodore, and after 


62 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


holding a conversation with him for some time, they 
strolled away together in the direction of the swamp. 
I then continued the preparation of dinner, but 
increased the quantities. I soon brought a cup of new 
milk, just drawn from the goat, to Annie, which she 
drank greedily. I also gave her a little tea, and as 
she felt very sick and faint I helped her up to my bed, 
where she was soon asleep. I then gave Mrs. Travers 
and Charlie their dinner and took my own. Mrs. 
Travers then climbed up beside Annie, and was soon 
asleep. 

Charlie’s wound was so painful that he could not 
rest; so I examined it and found it greatly imflamed, 
with a purplish hue extending for some distance in 
every direction. I got some clay, and moistening it 
with water, put a poultice on the wound, and placing 
him on the bench in a reclining position, I put a 
vessel with water near him, and instructed him to 
keep it well wet, which he did; later in the afternoon 
he was able to get a little sleep. 

Here, now, was a pretty plight to be in. Three 
invalids on my hands, and two haughty, worthless 
creatures, with frightfully big appetites, trying to 
thrust themselves on to me, and standing ready to 
gormandize my food the moment they found my back 
turned. 

I sat down for a time to think it out. A plan pres- 
ently presented itself, but it would require a few days 
to perfect it, during which time I must endure my 
inconveniences as best I could. 

I decided that I would go to a short distance from 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


63 


my camp, on a little higher ground, where there was 
an abundance of fallen trees, and I would there build 
a small house, with two compartments below and a 
chamber above. The one compartment would make a 
general living room, and the other a bedroom for the 
men, and the women could sleep in the chamber. 
Then I would fit up my hut for myself alone. Now 
this was no small task, with food to get and prepare, 
and how to do it was a conundrum. 

The men, including the Commodore, were almost 
useless and could do but very little ; so I would have 
to take control of the whole party and direct their 
work. Instead of being the servant, I should have 
to be the master, and if they would not submit to 
this I would leave them and make my home on some 
other part of the island. 

Having made this resolution I set to work, and 
after fixing up a good fire so as to finish the burning 
of my vessels, I went to procure more clay to make 
others ; for with my increased household I would need 
many more than I had yet made. Between carrying 
water, loosening the clay and working it into a mass 
suitable for moulding, and then forming it into ves- 
sels, cups, plates, pitchers, pans, etc., I worked be- 
tween three and four hours, as rapidly as my strength 
would allow, before I could say that I had nearly 
enough made for our present use; especially as I 
knew that a number of them would break in the 
burning. 

After placing my ware in rows in the sun to dry, 
preparatory to being put into the fire to burn, I 


6 4 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


returned to the hut, washed myself in the brook and 
began to prepare for supper. Neither Herbert nor 
the Commodore had yet made their appearance at 
camp. This annoyed me greatly ; for I felt sure that 
they were loitering around and leaving me to provide 
for those who were their charges. 

Finding all my invalids awake I put some water on 
the fire to boil, and soon gave the two women each a 
cup of tea. I then climbed the hill and secured some 
eggs and a fowl. I soon had the fowl roasting, took 
the new milk of the goat and some eggs and made a 
custard, poached some eggs, and making another cup 
of tea, gave the women their supper. Mrs. Travers ate 
quite heartily, but Annie was unable to take anything 
but a cup of tea. I boiled eggs for Charlie’s supper 
and mine, and with these and some cold fowl and a 
cup of tea we made our meal. 

I had got all my chores done and fuel gathered for 
the night; Charlie’s wound was dressed with a fresh 
poultice, and I was nearly ready to retire, when Her- 
bert and the Commodore came into view walking leis- 
urely from the direction of the swamp. They had 
secured a few frogs and brought the legs, which they 
cooked on the flat stone which I used for frying, on 
the further side of my fire from the camp. 

Herbert came into the hut to see Charlie, and to 
inquire after the health of the women. Feeling indig- 
nant at the way they had acted, I inquired, in 
no pleasant mood, where he had been all the 
afternoon. 

“Oh,” he. said, “the Commodore and I went for 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


65 


a little exploration, and have been discussing the 
situation.” 

“Well, what conclusion have you arrived at?” 

“Oh ! as to that, we don’t know what to do.” 

Looking at him very angrily, I said, “ Would you 
like me to tell you what I think you had better 
do?” 

“Most certainly; I would be glad of your advice,” 
he said, in a sarcastic tone. 

Without appearing to notice the sarcasm, I said, 
“Well, then, I will give it. There are six mouths to 
feed on this island, and you may as well make up your 
mind that you will have to obtain as much food each 
day as will feed two of these mouths. A flag of dis- 
tress wants to be planted on that hill, and at least two 
visits a day will have to be made to look out for a sail. 
A house has to be built, capable of accommodating 
the whole of this company, and sufficiently comforta- 
ble to protect us during the rainy season. Earthen 
vessels of different kinds, sufficient to meet our wants 
have to be made, and a furnace must be built in which 
to burn them. A furnace fit for doing our cooking 
and sufficiently large to keep a perpetual fire in has to 
be built. Fuel to keep up that fire must be got every 
day, and that fire kept up, for you know that if the 
fire goes out we have not the means of starting it 
again. A sufficient number of goats — giving milk — 
to supply us with milk, butter and cheese, has to be 
captured, and these goats must be fed, watered and 
milked every day. Our clothing, which has received 
such rough usage, will have to be renewed, either from 


66 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


skins from kids, or from cloth to be made from some 
material yet to be discovered. A thousand things will 
be required, that I have not named and that I cannot 
anticipate. Now who is to do all this? Do you think 
I will do it? If so, you are greatly mistaken. I will 
do my share and no more. I will do such things as you 
cannot do, and you must do the rest. I will do this 
only on condition that you do what you can do. I 
can provide for myself without any help from the rest 
of you. Can you provide for yourselves without me ? 
I fear not. Now hear what I propose. I will direct 
all your work, and you and all your friends will do as 
I direct, in helping to provide for the camp. If 
you all consent to this, I will begin at once to set 
you your task; if you object, I will strike camp and 
go to some other part of the island, leaving you and 
your company here to look after yourselves. I 
will do as you say, but you must choose now. An 
immediate understanding is necessary. Which will 
you do ? ” 

While I had been delivering myself in this strain, 
Herbert stood looking into the fire, not answering a 
word. The two ladies had sat up in bed, and were 
both intently looking at us. The Commodore was 
busy frying his frogs, and gave no sign of having 
heard a word that was being said. Mrs. Travers was 
the first to break the silence. She said, “Oh, yes; of 
course, Herbert, you will do as he directs?” Herbert 
replied, “ Oh, then ; as to that, I suppose there is no 
help for it.” 

The Commodore and Herbert ate their frogs ; I cut 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


67 


some leafy branches and placing some in each end of 
the hut, I lay down in one end and Herbert in the 
other. The Commodore made his bed under a tree 
at a little distance on the opposite side of the fire, and 
we all slept quietly until morning. Thus passed our 
first night in company on the island. 


CHAPTER VII. 


I set Herbert to work — My household duties — The 
Commodore “ looks for a sail ” — We build a furnace — 
My invalids — We wish a change of diet — Charlie's 
“ if s” — Kid-hunting — Amateur pottery. 

HE next morning, upon waking, I inquired after 



JL my invalids. Mrs. Travers was better, Annie 
was worse, and the symptoms were decidedly feverish. 
Charlie’s wound was much better, but still painful. 

I roused Herbert up and set him to carrying fuel. 
I took my vessels out of the embers and set those 
that were not broken to cool, and built up a rousing 
fire. I then sent Herbert to gather some plantain, as 
our systems required something of a vegetable nature, 
and while he was gone I put two vessels with water on 
the coals to boil, one for tea and the other for the 
plantain. I then milked the goat and set the milk to 
cool. I dressed Charlie’s wound and fixed him in a 
reclining position, as I had done the day before, and 
gave him water to keep it wet. I then made tea for 
the ladies, and put milk into it. I made a custard 
with eggs and milk for Annie; but her appetite was 
such that she could not eat. She drank copiously, 
however, of the tea, and I kept this made in readiness 
for her all the while, and placed where she could reach 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


69 


and take it whenever she wished. I gave Herbert and 
Charlie their breakfast, but absolutely refused to give 
the Commodore anything. He was about to raise a 
quarrel, when both Herbert and Mrs. Travers entreated 
him, for Annie’s sake, not to make a noise. He finally 
went up the hill and gathered some eggs, and 
cooked them in the hot ashes and ate them, and then 
sat down at a little distance under the shade of a 
small tree. 

It took me nearly half the forenoon to perform what 
I might call my household duties. Herbert had car- 
ried enough fuel for the day, gathered the plantain, 
and — almost under protest, saying he was not a 
feeder of swine — fed and watered the goat. Except 
this I had no assistance. 

Being now ready to begin my day’s work, I said to 
Herbert, “A furnace of some kind must be built in 
which to burn our pottery, and you must help me by 
bringing the stones. The Commodore had better go 
up to the hill-top and look out for a sail, and then 
make a circuit of the shore of the entire island. It 
may be that some of the other boats from the ‘Watch- 
word ’ have reached the land, and its occupants are in 
as bad a plight as we are; or he may discover the 
remains of some wreck or floatwood of some kind, 
that may bring us useful tools or material ; or he may 
find some kind of food, or be able to capture a kid. 
There is very much to do that must be done; for the 
probabilities are that we may have to remain on this 
island for many days and perhaps years. It will be 
wise for us to act as if we were certain of a prolonged 


7 o 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


stay; then if we get off, there will be nothing lost; 
but if we have to remain, we will be prepared for it.” 

It was with a very bad grace that Herbert helped me 
to do the “menial work”, as he called it, and his 
groaning and complaining with the little he did, 
made it, to me, almost worse than no help. 

The Commodore climbed to the top of the hill, tak- 
ing with him a bush, which he planted by putting 
stones against it, and in its shade he spent the rest of 
the forenoon “looking for a sail.” Returning about 
noon, he brought some eggs, on which, with some 
plantain that Herbert gave him, he made his dinner. 
He then started for a stroll and did not return until 
evening. 

Herbert and I worked at building a rude furnace. 
Herbert brought the stones and I mixed mortar of clay, 
and laid the stones with a wooden trowel, and when 
evening came, we had not more than half finished a 
job that Herbert declared to be the beastliest work he 
ever undertook. 

Annie was still very sick. She could eat compara- 
tively nothing; but as her thirst was very great, she 
could drink the tea and milk, and this kept her up 
very well. Mrs. Travers was better, but very nervous 
and weak. The excitement she had passed through, 
the privations she had had to endure, and the anguish 
which her circumstances caused her, combined to 
almost overcome her, and she wept silently most of 
the time. Charlie’s wound, under the clay poultice, 
was looking quite healthy, and I felt satisfaction at the 
results of my rude doctoring. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


71 


We got our supper, and when we were through we 
had very little food left in the hut. After fixing our 
camp for the night we sat down to discuss matters. 

I suggested that we had better try to capture a kid. 
The fowl was not as pleasant to the taste as we could 
desire, and was rather tough, and we were growing 
tired of it. Many of the eggs were found stale, and 
as this was doubtless a second laying they would soon 
be gone. While our appetites were keen — as appetites 
always are after several days of starving — we did not 
much mind these things; but now being almost sur- 
feited, we began to be more fastidious in our taste. 
A good young kid would be a pleasant bit of meat; 
or if it were possible to capture a fish it would make 
an agreeable change. How to do this was a ques- 
tion that Herbert’s ingenuity did very little to solve. 
Charlie’s suggestions were all surrounded with so 
many “if s” that they were worthless. “If we had a 
boat,” or “ if we had a seine,” “or if we had hook and 
line,” or “ if we had gun and ammunition.” 

I replied, “ Yes, if we had press, type and material, 
we could start a newspaper.” They all laughed a 
little — there was not much laughter in our camp — 
and Charlie saw the worthlessness of his suggestions. 

I said that as the goats seemed to herd mostly to 
the west end of the island, I thought we would find 
fertile land there and plenty of grass, and that if we 
could go amongst them at night and build a fire, we 
might capture one or two as I had done ; or we might 
build a trap or a dead fall ; but until we could thor- 
oughly explore the island it would be impossible to go 


72 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


by night to do this. As we must get our earthen ves- 
sels burning, I could not go on an exploring expedi- 
tion until the fire was started under them, and we 
would have to postpone that trip for a couple of 
days. I told them I had noticed tracks in the vicinity 
of the goat’s pen; which I presumed were made by 
goats visiting our captive by night, in apswer to her 
bleats. I suggested that possibly they still visited her, 
as she often bleated a great deal in the night, and per- 
haps it would pay Herbert and me to lie in ambush 
for a few hours, with good strong sticks, and if they 
came we might capture one by attacking it. 

Herbert said he would not take the world and go 
out at night alone near that pen ; that some wild 
beast might attack him. I showed him that it was 
impossible there could be any wild beasts on that 
island; because if there were, the goats would have 
been killed, and there would have been none of them 
left. However, I could not dispel his fears. I thought 
I now saw the reason why neither he nor the Commo- 
dore would go on a prospecting tour. “Well,” said I, 
“I will go.” I got a good heavy stick, about four 
feet long, and taking the skin of the kid with me, I 
went to some distance beyond the goat’s pen on the 
side next to the swamp, and sat down on a fallen tree 
to see if any goats came. 

Our goat, which had been bleating for some time 
before I set out, now took a turn at being still, and I 
waited a long time — I should think nearly an hour — 
before I heard a sound. How still was that island! 
not a sound of a living thing, except the occasional 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


73 


croak of a frog. At last I heard a faint bleat of a 
kid, somewhere a little to the north side of the swamp. 
This was repeated several times, when our goat 
answered it, and then commenced a vigorous bleating 
which she kept up for some time. An occasional 
answer would come to her, but no goats drew near. I 
then started further on in the direction of the noises 
I had heard, and at last reached within a short 
distance of where the goats were. Getting down 
amongst some low bushes, on my hands and knees, 
and throwing the skin of the kid over my head and 
shoulders, I started a vigorous bleating in imitation of 
a kid. I soon heard the goats coming in my direction 
and answering me by low bleats. They came on 
unsuspiciously and soon began to surround me, sniff- 
ing as if they smelt that all was not quite right. They 
did not appear to be at all afraid — having no enemies 
on the island they seemed almost devoid of fear — but 
sniffed around me. I held my stick upright, posing 
over my shoulder and ready at any instant to strike a 
blow. I waited until just such a kid as I wanted came 
near, when I struck it a heavy blow on the back of 
its neck. It fell stunned, to the ground. I took out 
my knife and bled it instantly. The other goats stam- 
peded to some distance and turned to look again. 
They seemed aware that something out of the usual 
had happened, but could not understand it. I waited 
until the blood ceased to flow, when I took the kid up 
and returned to the camp. 

On reaching the camp I found them all asleep ; so 
without waking them I proceeded to skin and dress 


74 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


the kid and hang it before the fire to roast. I then 
renewed the fire and lay down and slept soundly until 
morning. 

On rising, I waked Herbert and sent him to gather 
plantain for breakfast, and while he was gone I 
milked my goat, and boiled water as before and got 
things started for breakfast. The kid was roasted 
fairly well on the side next to the fire, and it was 
greatly relished by all except Annie, who was still too 
miserable to eat solid food ; but a good drink of tea 
and another of fresh milk fully satisfied her. The 
Commodore looked very covetously at our roast kid, 
and I told Herbert he might give him the liver to fry 
on the flat stone, and some plantain to eat with it. 
This the Commodore seemed to relish, and when 
eaten he went again to the top of the hill, where he 
spent most of the forenoon. 

Herbert and I went to work again at our furnace, 
stopping only to prepare and eat dinner. Before 
night we completed it and put our ware — which was 
now sufficiently dried — into it, and started the fire 
that was to burn it. Our supper consisted of plantain, 
kid, eggs and tea. The tea was not as pleasant to the 
taste as the cultivated tea that we had been accus- 
tomed to in civilization, and none of them seemed to 
care for it as a beverage; but I rather liked it, and 
thought I would cultivate a taste for it. Annie seemed 
to relish it as a drink when she had no appetite. 
This evening Annie ate a poached egg and seemed 
somewhat better, her fever symptoms having greatly 
abated. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


75 


We were now ready for bed again. But one of us 
must remain awake to keep the fire burning under our 
ware ; for if the fire should go out and the ware cool 
before it was fully burned, I knew it would be spoiled. 
Herbert objected to stay up and go every hour or so to 
the furnace to renew the fire; but I reminded him 
that I had been up more than half the night before 
procuring and preparing the kid, and that I wanted to 
explore the island the next day, while he would have 
nothing to do but to attend to the fire in the furnace. 
So with a very bad grace he at last consented to do 
it, and I lay down and had another sound sleep until 
morning. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


I explore the island — The cove — The pastures — Signs 
of habitation — The ruined hut — The lonely grave — 
My meditations — I return to the camp — Trouble with 
the Commodore — I leave the camp. 

B REAKFAST was over and all my chores and 
household work attended to, and I was ready to 
start on my tour by a little after eight o’clock. I 
arranged that Herbert should lie down and sleep, and 
Charlie should wake him every two or three hours, for 
the purpose of renewing the furnace fire. I also 
directed that the Commodore should not be allowed 
to enter the hut during my absence. 

I put some hard-boiled eggs and a piece of roast 
kid in my pocket for a lunch, and taking my axe and 
a heavy stick I started on my tour of exploration. 
Leaving the camp in a northwesterly course until I 
reached the seashore, about three-fourths of a mile 
from camp, I followed the shore westward to the 
northwest end of the island; then southward and 
eastward until I came opposite the camp, when I 
returned to the hut. 

A little westward of where I reached the shore I 
found a gully, which served as a drain to the swamp 
that I have before described. A little stream of clear 
water ran through this and emptied into the sea. At 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


77 


the mouth of this stream was a cove of about twenty 
rods in depth, widening from a few feet at the stream 
to about ten rods at its mouth. The bottom of this 
cove was a sandy beach, covered at high tide, but 
bare when the tide was out. I soon saw a means of 
making a trap for catching fish here. By driving a 
row of stakes across the cove, into this sand about 
half way up from its mouth, and throwing some brush 
and logs on the inside of these, the sea would soon 
form a bar of sand across in that place, leaving a 
depression on the inside, in which water would stand 
when the sea was out. When the tide was in, the fish 
would come up this cove in search of the food that the 
little brook from the swamp might carry out, and the 
tide going out would leave some of them inside the 
bar. It would then be an easy matter to wade into 
this little pond and capture them, by stunning them 
with poles, or chasing them upon the sand. Having 
settled this as something to be done in the near future, 
with a wish that the Commodore had chosen it for a 
landing place, I started on. 

Between this and the west end of the island, the 
land gradually fell, until it was not more than twenty 
feet above the sea. The shores, too, were not so pre- 
cipitous, and a sandy beach extended all the way 
around the northwest part of the island, and well to 
the southwest angle. The land was fertile and a good 
growth of small trees, shrubs, flowers, grass, etc., cov- 
ered it. I found two kinds of berries, one a rasp and 
the other blue. The traces of goats were very plenti- 
ful, and I saw many of them moving about or lying 


78 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


leisurely in the shade. They did not appear to be at 
all afraid of me, but looked at me with evident curios- 
ity. I did not disturb them, for I did not wish to excite 
their fear. Here they were, hundreds of them, rev- 
eling in an exceedingly rich pasture, fat, sleek and 
happy, knowing no enemy and without either fear or 
anxiety. What a pity that it was necessary for us to 
bring death and imprisonment to them, that we might 
live. We would gladly have sailed away and left them 
to their life of comfort and peace, had an opportunity 
presented itself. 

Turning southward along the west coast of the 
island, I made a most interesting discovery. We were 
not the first human beings to inhabit this lonely island. 
The shore in one spot presented an appearance of hav- 
ing been used for some purpose; but in what that 
appearance consisted I could not tell for the life of me. 
I can only say that in some way it looked different 
from the rest of the shore. Something like the over- 
grown yard of an uninhabited house. At any rate, 
something made me feel that I was on ground not 
altogether virgin, and I began to explore it carefully, 
expecting to find human traces. 

Going back a few rods amongst the bushes, I came 
upon the remains of an old log hut, fallen or blown 
down, decayed and overgrown. It may have been 
twenty years since it was inhabited, or it may have 
been fifty. I stood and looked at it, and wondered as 
to its history and its inhabitants. A strange feeling 
crept over me, and I found the spot more lonely than 
localities where there were no such traces. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


79 


Feeling hungry, I sat down on some of the fallen 
logs of the old hut and ate my lunch ; after which, I 
set to work to make a thorough investigation, in the 
hope of finding some tool or implement that would 
prove useful to us; or perhaps something that would 
tell a tale of the past life that had lived on the island. 
I tore the hut to pieces and searched everywhere, 
under and about it, but I found nothing, except a piece 
of iron bar about two feet long and an inch and a 
quarter square ; this I took with me. I then searched 
the grounds for some distance around, but found noth- 
ing that I could use; but I did find something that 
told a tale. A few rods to the south of the old hut 
was a little mound of earth about six feet long by two 
wide, and at one end, lying rotting on the ground, was 
a small wooden cross. Here in this beautiful spot, 
near the sounding sea, away from home and civiliza- 
tion, some poor Christian had lain down and died, to 
be forgotten, alone on this little island. How sad I 
felt! The fate that likely awaited me; but would I 
find kind hands to make a grave and raise a cross? 
Not likely. I took up the cross, and making a hole in 
the ground with the iron bar, I again planted it over 
the grave, and determined at some future day to erect 
a more substantial monument on the grave to the 
unknown dead. 

From the traces on the shore, I concluded that a 
ship had been driven ashore at this spot. Some or all 
of its crew had been saved, and the ship going to pieces, 
they had constructed this hut and had occupied it 
while they were constructing out of the wreckage a 


8o 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


boat to put to sea in, or until they were taken off by 
a passing ship. As they took all their tools ' and uten- 
sils with them, they probably went to sea in a boat of 
their own building. Did they ever reach their homes 
and tell their story? If so, there may be some yet 
living who will remember it and recognize the location, 
should this ever reach their eye. 

I had often wondered how those goats came to be 
on this island ; it was now explained. When that ship 
was wrecked there were goats on board of her. These 
goats got to shore, and when the shipwrecked crew 
left the island in their small boat, they had no room 
for the goats and left them behind. These had multi- 
plied into the hundreds that, up to our arrival, had held 
undisputed possession. 

While on the island, one of those wrecked mariners 
had sickened and died ; or he may have been drowned 
in attempting to land, and his body, washed up by the 
waves, was recovered, and kind hands made for it a 
friendly grave and raised a frail monument. The 
cross had the appearance of having been made from a 
piece of deck planking. 

Finding no further traces that would lead to our 
advantage, I took the iron bar with me and continued 
my journey. As I approached the south shore I found 
the ground gradually growing higher and less fertile. 
I also found that the sandy beach disappeared, the 
rocks extending almost perpendicularly into the sea. 
I followed the south shore at some distance in from 
the sea, until opposite to our camp, and turned and 
made straight for it, reaching it about three o’clock. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


81 


I had now ascertained the character of the entire 
island. There was a depression in the middle of the 
west part, which formed the swamp, of from twenty to 
thirty acres. Numerous little springs in the banks — * 
one of the largest being the one beside which we were 
camped — flowed into this swamp, and then all together 
flowed into the sea through the gully and cove that I 
have described. A great portion of the basin of this 
swamp and the northwest decline from the ridge to 
the sea were fertile, and afforded food for the goats, 
which I decided must form our chief food supply. 
Amongst the growth on this fertile tract must be found 
all our other supplies; but upon the extent of that 
material our comfort in a great measure depended, 
should our stay on the island prove a protracted one. 

My companions had evidently not expected me back 
so soon. Mrs. Travers had come down from her bed, 
and the whole company, except Annie, were gathered 
in the hut engaged in animated conversation. The 
Commodore, in their midst, was engaged in laying 
down the law to them. They did not hear me until I 
threw down the bar and stick on the ground, just out- 
side the hut. They all sprang up and Mrs. Travers 
came out hurriedly, followed by the Commodore and 
Herbert. Standing and looking at the Commodore I 
said to him, “ I thought I forbade you to enter my hut.” 
He merely replied, “What have you to say about it!” 
Quicker than thought I struck him just below the ear, 
and he fell with a heavy thud to the ground, but soon 
gathered himself together and rose to his feet again. 
Herbert sprang toward me in a menancing way, and 


82 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I struck out at him, hitting him on the nose and caus- 
ing the blood to flow freely, and nearly sending him 
to the ground. He stumbled away several feet before 
he regained his upright position. The Commodore 
having regained his feet made a rush for me ; but step- 
ping slightly to one side, I evaded his blow and hit 
him on the cheek, cutting it considerably, following 
quickly with a right hander under the ear, which felled 
him to the ground. This time he did not attempt to 
rise for some moments, and when he did so he made 
his way to the brook, to wash himself. Herbert had 
previously gone to the brook for the same purpose. 
Mrs. Travers had gone back into the hut when the 
row began, and turning, had seen the blood on Her- 
bert’s face and had fainted. Charlie, standing on one 
foot, was trying to do something for her, but suc- 
ceeded in doing nothing. I snatched up a vessel and 
brought some cool water and threw a little in her face, 
and she soon revived. Annie was groaning and cry- 
ing as she lay in the bed, and there was general 
confusion. 

After Mrs. Travers had recovered from her faint and 
had regained her composure, I asked her if she had 
forgotten the conditions upon which I had received 
her and her niece into my hut, and nursed and pro- 
vided for them? She replied to the effect that the 
Commodore was their friend and protector, and she 
could not be so unkind to him as to forbid him to 
come to them. She thought it most unreasonable and 
unkind of me to keep him away and require him to 
sleep out of doors while the rest of us were housed. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


83 


I asked her if she remembered how the Commodore 
had treated me in the boat; how he had beaten and 
ill-treated and robbed me of my food and drink, after 
we had landed on the island. I asked her if she 
expected me to turn now and give shelter and food to 
him, in return for his treatment of me. I presumed 
she was right in saying he was her friend, and I would 
not linger to dispute his being her protector; but I 
would give him the opportunity to prove it. I built 
this hut ; it was now theirs to do with as they liked. 
I had made a lot of ware; with the exception of 

a few pieces, it was theirs. They had a fair start; 

they were welcome to all I had done for them. I 
would bid them farewell. I did not want any of them 
to ever come near me again. 

I went out, took up my axe, iron bar and kid skins, a 
cup and two larger dishes and a couple of brands 

from the fire and left the camp. Annie burst out 

weeping and said, as I passed out, “ Oh, please don’t 
go,” while Mrs. Travers followed me, saying, “ Please 
don’t go and we will arrange things all right.” I paid 
no heed to them; in fact, I would not have dared 
to stay where Herbert and the Commodore could have 
attacked me in my sleep. 


CHAPTER IX. 


My new camp — My hut — The goat run — The goat- 
pen — A double capture — New pottery — My fur- 
nace — Comfortably housed at last. 

I WALKED in nearly the same direction that I did 
in the morning ; but keeping slightly more to the 
left. I crossed the gully that emptied the swamp into 
the sea, and followed up a small cross gully that 
emptied its tiny stream into the larger one, for some 
distance, where I found a convenient place to camp, 
about a mile distant from the old hut. There was a 
fair supply of dry trees lying on the ground, and in less 
than ten minutes after reaching the spot I had kin- 
dled a fire from my brands. The place where I 
located was below a perpendicular ridge of rock about 
three feet high, running along the north side of the 
gully, an average of about twenty feet distance from 
the little stream. It was in a sort of notch in this 
ridge that I built my fire ; a place something like two 
sides of a triangle, and most convenient to build a 
furnace in for cooking. There was plenty of room 
either to the west or east of my fire for a hut, and the 
tiny rivulet would run just to the south, supplying me 
with plenty of good water. 

It was now about five o’clock, and I had a large 
amount of work to do. So I took a flat stone and put 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


85 


it into the fire to be ready to fry frogs’ legs. I had 
yet, however, to capture the frogs ; but as I was no far- 
ther from the north side of the swamp than I had 
before been from the east end of it, I had no fear of 
success. I started on my hunt, and crossing over 
directly southward, soon came to the swamp and was 
not long in killing enough frogs to make both supper 
and breakfast. I also gathered a quantity of plantain 
and tea. I was again at my camp before six o’clock, 
and when I had finished my supper I had still over 
two hours in which to work, before darkness set 
in. 

During this interval I worked with a will. I first 
cut two poles about fourteen feet long, and at a height 
of about ten feet from the ground, put their ends into 
crotches of trees about ten feet apart, at a distance 
of about twelve feet from the ridge, against which I 
had built my fire. I laid the other ends on the ridge, 
and putting some stones under them raised them up a 
foot or so higher than the ridge. I then cut several 
poles and laid them across these, and on top of these 
laid a large quantity of leafy branches, and this made 
a roof like a shanty with its lowesj: side on the ridge. 
I then ran two poles, about three feet apart on a level 
with the ridge upon a cross pole, put into the crotches 
of other trees, and put small cross poles on these, then 
branches and then grass. These made a bed about 
four feet high, as the ground declined a little from the 
ridge to the stream. Cutting small, leafy trees, I 
stood them on the ground all around the sides of the 
roof and leaned them against it until I had enclosed it 


86 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


as thickly as I did my old hut, leaving an opening for 
a door next to the fire. 

The daylight was about spent, and I stirred up the 
fire, added fuel to it and prepared to go out to cap- 
ture a kid. Being much nearer the pasture ground of 
the goats, I thought some of them would be sure to be 
attracted to the fire, and I was right. They soon came 
around ; some of them as curious as before. Passing 
out of the door and going around the hut away from 
the fire and getting on to the ridge a little distance 
away, I came upon them from behind. Being so 
intent in looking at the fire they paid no heed to me ; 
indeed, if I touched them those in front of me did not 
notice that it was not another goat pressing forward. 
I caught a good-sized kid in my arms, and holding its 
mouth shut with my hand to prevent its bleating, I 
hurried back the way I came and bled it with my knife, 
as soon as I got again below the ridge. So quickly 
and quietly did I do this, that it created almost no 
commotion amongst the goats. This was possible, 
because having no foes to attack or injure them, they 
did not understand what it meant. I skinned and 
cleaned the kid and hung it in a tree to cool until morn- 
ing, fixed up my fire and retired to bed. 

This was the first night that I had slept on a com- 
fortable bed since giving up my other one to the sick 
ladies, and I made good use of it, sleeping soundly 
until morning. 

The next morning, upon rising, I fried the remain- 
der of the frogs’ legs and a part of the pluck of the kid, 
boiled some plantain, made some tea, and had a very 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


87 


comfortable breakfast. I set to work and cut a large 
number of poles and built a close, strong pen about 
twenty feet square, against the little ridge of rock, 
extending over the little rivulet. I built it about eight 
feet high and drew the top poles in a little, so that a 
goat could not get out over it. Then I cut some 
small poles and laid them across the corners of the 
pen and on these I put a quantity of stones, so as to 
give weight to it and make it solid. It required more 
than half a day to complete this ; but my intention was 
to make a pen into which I could put several goats, 
and in which they would have plenty of room ; then 
with company and with living water running through 
their pen, they would not be so unhappy as my other 
goat appeared to be. 

When I had finished the pen I went to the swamp 
for a supply of plantain and tea, and after returning, 
set out to find clay suitable for crockery. This I 
found a difficult task, the soil hereabouts being richer ; 
there was a greater deposit on top of it, and I failed 
to find any. As evening drew on I returned to camp. 
I prepared a quantity of fine dry wood, and as soon as 
it was dark I made up a rousing fire. This soon 
brought the goats about in large numbers, and after 
they began to move well forward, I slipped around the 
pen and came upon them from the rear. It was not 
easy for me to ascertain which of them were giving 
suck, but I fortunately succeeded in capturing two 
very good ones. Picking one of them up so that it 
could not get its feet to the ground, I ran to the pen 
on top of the ridge of rock and dropped it in, then 


88 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


returned for another one, carrying it in the same way. 
The bleating of the captured goats was so loud and 
distressing, that the flock, in apparent alarm, drew off 
to too great a distance for me to secure any more. 

I went to bed and slept soundly, in spite of the 
incessant bleating of the goats. The next morning I 
went into the pen and spent an hour trying to make 
friends with them, and succeeded in considerably 
allaying their fears of me. Then I brought them a 
quantity of grass, which they ate. I started out 
again to find clay, and this time succeeded in procur- 
ing it near the swamp. The distance made it a heavy 
task to carry, and I found it necessary to make some 
vessel to carry it in; so going to the margin of the 
swamp, I cut some long, slim bushes that grew there, 
something like willows, and returning with them to 
camp, I commenced to weave a basket. Not being an 
adept at this work, it took me until evening to get it 
finished. When done it was a strong, clumsy, rough 
affair, that would hold something more than half a 
bushel. 

I milked both of my goats and had all the milk that I 
could use ; but for company’s sake, and to be sure of 
a supply when they should fail in their milk, as they 
were sure to do as the season changed, I captured 
another goat before retiring for the night. 

Having grown tired of roast, I fried most of the kid 
this time. The way I fried my food was to take a 
thin stone, put it into the fire until it was red hot, or 
nearly so, then placing it near the fire by lifting it with 
the ends of two short poles, I put my meat on it and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


89 


the heat of the stone was sufficient to thoroughly cook 
the meat. By laying the stone at an angle of about 
twenty degrees, with a corner at the lowest point, the 
fat would run off and drop from the corner into a 
vessel. In this way I could fry a quantity at a time, 
and packing it into a dish, I could get enough fat to 
cover it over; which would, when cold, make a solid 
mass, and protect the meat from decay for many 
weeks. When I wanted to use any of it I had simply 
to dig it out of the fat and warm it on the stone, only 
partially heated. In my opinion, meat fried on a hot 
stone as I have described, is sweeter than that done 
on any other plan. It might be worth a trial, even in 
civilization. 

The next morning, after feeding my goats and milk- 
ing them, and eating my breakfast, I commenced to 
carry clay for making pottery, and worked at it nearly 
all day. It took a long time to loosen it with the 
sharpened end of my iron bar, and I could only carry 
a small quantity at a time, because of its weight and 
the distance. Then I required a considerable quan- 
tity, for I had not only to make such dishes as I might 
need, but also enough to allow for those that would 
break in the burning. Besides, I required enough clay 
to plaster over the inside of the furnace in which I 
would burn them. 

The list that I thought would be required, allowing 
for breakages, was something like this : Six large 
crocks, holding from ten to twelve quarts; six small 
crocks, holding from five to six quarts; three large 
pans, holding about twenty quarts, for keeping water 


9 o 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


in at the fire continually ; twelve pans, holding about 
ten quarts, for keeping milk in; six large pitchers, 
six small pitchers; three large jugs, three small jugs; 
twelve large, very deep plates, twelve large shallow 
plates, twelve small plates ; twelve cups, twelve saucers. 

This made a quantity of ware ; but I allowed that 
half of it would break in burning, and when I consid- 
ered how many I would require for milk, cheese, etc., 
I thought it better to make the number I have named. 

Beginning with the larger vessels, I spent two whole 
days before I got them all made. Not having a wheel 
to form them on, they were very irregular in shape; 
but answered my purpose well. The thing that I 
most wanted was a glaze for the inside; but this I 
could not make, and had to be contented with them 
unglazed, which would necessitate their being thrown 
away after being used for some time. 

My next work was to build a furnace of stones a 
little way from my hut on the opposite side of the 
rivulet. Having plastered the inside and filled the 
interstices with clay, I placed my ware within it and 
started my fire. For three days and nights I did little 
else but attend to my goats and the furnace, and pre- 
pare and eat my food, catching snatches of sleep, 
either by day or night, while the fire was burning 
brightly. At the end of this time I let my fire out, 
and as soon as it was cool I opened the furnace. I 
did not find the burning as successful as I had hoped. 
A large number were cracked, some were burned too 
much and others too little ; but I found enough whole 
to answer my present wants very well. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 9 1 

Next I started in to turn my niche in the ridge of 
rock into a furnace for cooking. I took some loose 
flat stones and made jambs and plastered them over 
on the inside with clay. Then I laid narrow flat 
stones across the top, left spaces between on which to 
set my vessels for heating, and fitted a large flat stone 
to the front, to close up the fire and keep it from dying 
out. I now turned my attention to the chimney, 
which I built of stones, plastering the inside with clay, 
to about eight feet high. I had as good and conven- 
ient a kitchen range as most housewives can boast. 

Equipped with range, convenient dishes, a com- 
fortable hut, good bed, three milch goats, and a swamp 
producing rice, plantain and frogs, a run of goats just 
at hand, and tea growing within a few rods, my pros- 
pects were not so bad. I only wanted bread- — which 
want the rice, when ripe, would partly supply « — to com- 
plete a very comfortable diet. 

My goats, through constant petting and caressing, 
had grown quite tame, and I felt I could soon turn 
them loose without fear of losing them. 

One thing I wished for was the hill, from which to 
keep a look-out for a sail. I knew, however, by the 
smoke of the old camp fire, that the Commodore and 
his companions were still on the island. Would they 
send for me if they hailed a ship ? 

It was now over two weeks since I had left my 
former camp, and I had not heard or seen any one of 
my companions. As I could see the smoke from their 
camp I concluded they could see mine, and had they 
wanted to find me, they would have had no difficulty in 


92 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


doing so. But the Commodore must have felt greatly 
humiliated over the result of our bout. He was a 
large, powerfully-built man, and I was only medium 
sized ; but my years of experience at the diggings 
and on sheep runs gave me an advantage in little 
affairs of that kind. Then by striking him so sud- 
denly, when he did not expect it, I secured an 
advantage, the value of which I fully understood. The 
Commodore had been thoroughly beaten, and judging 
his disposition by men of his stamp that I had met in 
my travels, I felt certain that he would rather starve 
than humiliate himself by asking aid from me. So I 
did not wonder that he did not allow any communica- 
tion with me. I had, however, a great curiosity to 
know how they were getting along for supplies. I felt 
sure that their eggs had given out by this time, and I 
had not heard anything that indicated that they were 
capturing kids. The fact is, I knew that they could 
not provide for themselves, and I felt anxious about 
the helpless ones of the party. 


CHAPTER X. 


My fish-trap — Charlie's visit — A dismal story — 1 
refuse to return — Supplies for the suffering — The 
cnlprits send to beg my pardon. 

I NOW determined to make my fish-trap, and as this 
would necessitate my going to and from the sea, 
I decided to kill two birds with one stone, and by 
carrying salt water back with me in one of my jugs, 
procure salt by evaporating the sea water over the 
fire, and thus be able to season my food; for I had 
not yet become so accustomed to unsalted food as to 
relish it. I took my axe and went to the nearest point 
to the little cove, where I could find suitable timber 
out of which to make stakes. I cut nearly one hun- 
dred stakes about four feet long, sharpened one 
end of each and then carried them to the bank. I 
also cut a number of poles, from four to six inches 
at the large end. These, with brush for withes, 
limbs, etc., I carried and laid with the stakes. This 
kept me nearly two days. Next morning about ten 
o'clock the tide would be out sufficiently to allow me 
to commence work. 

In the morning after breakfast, I took a log of wood, 
the largest and straightest that I could find, and cut- 
ting off a piece about four feet long, I split off two 
sides, leaving a flat piece about two inches thick in 


94 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


the middle. This I took, and with my axe formed 
into a shovel, with the blade and handle solid. I then 
cut another log about the same length, about six 
inches through, and cutting away the outside all around, 
reduced it to the size of a handle, except about one 
foot at one end, which I left the original size. This I 
called my “maul.” With my axe, shovel and maul, I 
started for the cove. The tide was going out, and I 
soon threw my stakes, poles and brush, down to the 
sand. When I got down I drove the stakes with my 
maul into the sand about half their length in a 
straight row across the cove at a point where it was 
about eight rods wide. I placed the poles on the 
inside of these stakes, and drove other stakes on the 
inside of the poles, and tied withes around the top of 
the stakes to prevent the poles from floating. I then 
shoveled sand on these, making a bank completely cov- 
ering it. I had not succeeded in throwing on as much 
sand as I wished, when the incoming tide caused me 
to leave work. I returned to my hut very tired; for 
I had not stopped to eat during the day, wishing if 
possible, to get the job done before the returning tide 
should drive me away. 

When I returned to my hut I found Charlie sitting 
on a stone beside it waiting for me. He had been 
there for a couple of hours. He looked pale and 
thin and very miserable. He had not entered the 
hut at all, or helped himself to anything to eat, 
although, judging from his looks, he must have been 
hungry. 

I was only a few minutes in warming some fried kid, 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


95 


and making some tea. Then bringing a pan of cool 
milk from the little stream where I had put it to keep 
it cool covered with a large plate, and a dish of 
cheese curds made from sour milk, we sat down to the 
table made of a large, flat stone, and both ate very 
heartily — I because of my long task and Charlie 
because of his long fast. 

Very little was said until we were nearly through 
our meal, when Charlie broke the silence by saying, 
“Well, I think you are the most ingenious man I ever 
saw. I believe you could spread a feast on this 
island if it were k barren rock.” 

“ No,” said I ; “ but having had a great deal of expe- 
rience in camping, and making the most of everything, 
I have learned how to live outside of civilization and 
its appliances.” 

“Well, I wish we could manage as you can ; but we 
cannot, and we have got into a terrible mess. I have 
had to come to you for help. I come with very, poor 
grace and very reluctantly; but all our pride is 
destroyed by sheer necessity. I hope I may not 
frighten you when I tell you that, except myself, every 
one of our company is down with some kind of fever, 
and I am still quite lame from my cut. The fact is, 
we have not had enough good substantial food to keep 
up our strength, and then we have had to suffer so 
many hardships of late to which we were unaccus- 
tomed, that it has told .on us by producing a good soil 
for the seeds of malaria to fall into.” 

“Your cut has been the means of saving you,” said 
I. “So you see there is no evil that befalls us with- 


9 6 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


out a corresponding good, if we only see the good 
when it comes.” 

“Well,” said Charlie, “I had no intention of stay- 
ing anything like so long when I left the camp; but I 
was compelled to wait for you, and now I have to ask 
you straight — Will you help such ingrates as we all 
are?” 

“That depends upon who asks my help and the 
spirit in which it is asked,” said I. 

“Well,” said Charlie, “I will tell you the whole 
truth. The women are completely broken down and, 
I believe, would almost kiss your feet to have you 
return. I felt very bad at the time of your row with 
the Commodore. I had tried to persuade him not to 
come into the hut that day. I did not blame you, and 
I now tell you that you did right, and I return my 
hearty thanks to you for what you did for me. Her- 
bert is greatly under the influence of the Commodore, 
and is sulky because you struck him. He says he had 
no intention of attacking you, but was only going to 
interfere to stop the fight; but he says he will not 
interfere with you again in any way, and forgives you 
for striking him. My own opinion is, that Herbert 
either intended to attack you, or hold you while the 
Commodore did, and I think you did well to give him 
a blow. As to the Commodore, he says he will forgive 
you and let by-gones be by-gones.” 

“Well, Charlie, your report bears the impress of 
truth; but it don’t satisfy me. If you and the women 
were here, I would take care of you cheerfully; but 
neither the Commodore nor Herbert splits me. I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


9 7 


don’t want them to forgive me for anything I have 
done. I have done nothing that I am sorry for, and 
nothing for which I want forgiveness. I consider it 
a gross insult on their part to offer to forgive me. It 
implies that they believe me to have wronged them, 
whereas they have done much, very much, for which 
they should ask my forgiveness in the most humble 
manner, and until they so ask it, and promise better 
conduct in the future, I will not enter their camp. My 
remarks apply with much greater force to the Commo- 
dore than they do to Herbert.” 

“For God’s sake and the sake of humanity, please 
don’t say that,” said Charlie. “You must help us, or 
we will all be dead inside of a week. Please don’t let 
the rest of us suffer for the Commodore, when we are 
so penitent for our treatment of you.” 

“Well, Charlie, I will tell you what I will do. I 
will give you food for them all to-night, and you can 
return and take care of them until morning. Tell the 
Commodore what I say, and if he is prepared to ask 
my pardon for his cruel treatment, I will go over and 
help you every day until they are better. That is the 
best that I can do. And now, what have you given 
them?” 

“Oh, frogs, plantain and fowl. The eggs have 
failed and Herbert had to kill the goat for food, for 
none of us could milk her, and we had nothing to 
eat.” 

“ Did you give them tea?” I inquired. 

“No,” he said; “none of them seemed to care for 
it.” 


98 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


“How about the vessels that were burning when I 
left?” 

“ Herbert let the fire out too soon, and while some 
of them answered, the rest were too soft, and no 
good.” 

“I have great faith in the tea as an anti-fever, and 
think you had better make a lot of it, strong, and give 
them all they can drink and keep it up continually. I 
think they will be able to drink it nicely, with milk, 
and they may be able to eat something, as I can now 
season it with salt.” 

I then milked my goats, while Charlie stood and 
looked on, wondering how tame and kind I had got 
them ; for they would rub against me and lick salt 
from my hand, and stand to be milked like gentle 
cows. 

I filled one of the small jugs with milk, and gave 
him some curd cheese, and some fried kid, showing 
him how to warm it. I then filled one of his pockets 

with tea, and started him for his camp, telling him to 

return in the morning, whether he could bring back a 
request for pardon from the Commodore or not. 

He thanked me heartily, although it was evident 
that he had not got half of what he had hoped to get. 
He wanted my help in the camp to attend to the sick. 

As soon as he was gone I took my basket and set 
out for the swamp and filled it with plantain. On my 
way back I gathered a lot of tea, which I dried before 

the fire. I took all the milk that I had, part of which 

was sour, and mixing it together, put it over the fire to 
curd, and when done spread it on a flat stone to dry. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


99 


When the evening came on I killed a kid, and after 
dressing it, hung it in a tree for the night. 

The early morning brought Charlie with a very long 
face. His fire had gone out in the night, and he had 
exhausted every match they had in the camp and 
could not get it started again. The patients were no 
better, and the women wept when I did not return 
with him. Herbert sent and begged a thousand par- 
dons for all he had done unkindly, and promised 
to never repeat his former unkind acts. The Commo- 
dore was sulky, and would not ask pardon ; but would 
promise not to molest or interfere with me in the 
future. 

I fitted Charlie out again with a load of provisions, 
gave instructions how to cook the steak from the kid, 
and told him to give them plenty of tea, and to season 
their food with the salt. I then filled another jug 
with milk, and giving him my case of matches, 
instructed him how to start the fire. I told him not 
to neglect the tea and to return again in the evening, 
and as soon as he could bring word from the Commo- 
dore, asking for my pardon, I would go with him to 
their camp and help them. 

I saw a tear in his eye as he left, and I felt very 
like relenting, but remembered that unless the Com- 
modore was now brought to time I would have no 
permanent peace with him. I said, “ Charlie, my 
heart aches for you, but the Commodore must come 
down.” 

When Charlie was gone, I went to the cove to look 
after my dam, taking my shovel with me. I spent the 


100 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


rest of the forenoon putting sand on it. Already there 
was quite a little pool above the dam, but no fish in it. 

After dinner I went and picked some berries and 
brought them to camp to give to Charlie for the inva- 
lids. During the afternoon I undertook a job of black- 
smithing. I took the iron bar and put one end into 
the fire to heat. I had found some sharp flint stones 
near the shore and had brought them with me. I 
fastened one of these into a crevice of the rock with 
its sharp edge up, and then taking out the hot iron, 
I proceeded to cut off about three inches of one end. 
This I had to do very gently, using the back of the 
axe for a hammer, tapping lightly until I had cut a 
crease in it, on every side. I broke several flints 
before I got it cut sufficiently to warrant an attempt at 
breaking it. At last I set to and broke it, using the 
back of the axe. Having accomplished this, I shar- 
pened one end of the bar into the form of a sharp 
punch, and hardened it by cooling it in goat fat. I 
then punched a hole through the piece that I had cut 
off, and hardening it as I did the other, I put a wooden 
handle into it, and behold I had a hammer. 

I had scarcely finished this job when Charlie 
returned to say that the Commodore asked for my 
pardon. 

I at once set to work to fit up my camp so as to 
leave it for the night, and in a short time Charlie and I 
were on our way to his camp, bearing such things as I 
had to take to them, including the berries, and my axe 
to cut up a lot of logs for the fire. 


CHAPTER XI. 


The Commodore's refusal — The ladies' plea — I relent — 
My hospital — I consider the situation — Resolve to 
build — The new houses — My fish-trap — Our removal 
to new quarters — The ladies' house. 



N arriving at the camp, I went directly to the 


Commodore and said to him, “Charlie tells 
me that you have repented of your cruelty toward me, 
and that you wish to be forgiven.” This was putting 
it in a way that none of them had anticipated. I mis- 
trusted that the whole of them had made a set-to 
on the Commodore and had got his consent to let 
Charlie tell me that he repented and asked my pardon, 
while he had no intention of standing by the position 
when they were again in circumstances to make them 
independent of me. He replied that he did not know 
that Charlie had represented it in that light, and 
thought it was a little too strong. I said, “I thought 
as much,” and turned to leave the hut, when Herbert 
spoke up and asked me to wait a moment until he 
explained. I told him to go on. He said the Com- 
modore could not feel friendly toward me ; but at the 
urgent request of the others, and for their sakes, he 
consented to take a sort of neutral position, and had 


102 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


allowed them to represent him as they pleased, and he 
would not demur ; but to ask him to beg my pardon to 
my face, he thought was putting it very strong, and 
made it very embarrassing for the Commodore. 

“This repentance,” said I, “of yours and the Com 
modore is very like the death-bed repentance of an 
old sinner; it has a mental reservation in it. I am 
not coming here to nurse men to health who are to be 
my sworn enemies as soon as they are strong again.” 
Turning, I left the hut. 

Mrs. Travers called feebly to me and asked me to 
speak to her. She said, “ Do forgive us and help us, 
for we are in great distress. Annie is delirious most 
of the time, and I am very sick; poor Charlie is 
our only stay, and he cannot help us much. Don’t let 
us die because of the obstinacy of the Commodore. 
It would be so awful to die and be buried on this 
island so far from home. Oh, please do help us, for 
you know how to do everything.” 

I saw that the time had come when humanity must 
assert itself, and rise above passion. So I told her 
that I had come to help them and I would stay. She 
replied, “ Thank you ever so much, and life will be too 
short for me to manifest all the gratitude I feel.” 

The evening was drawing on, and I saw that there 
was much to be done. I soon gave the women some 
strong tea and told them to drink all they could of it ; 
for I believed it would prove an antidote to the fever. 
I gave them milk to drink, and told them not to attempt 
solid food until they felt like it, that plenty of milk 
and tea would be sufficient, and it would be easy to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


103 


keep it convenient at all hours of the day or night. I 
told Charlie he might wait on the two men. I cut a 
quantity of wood and brought it to the camp, so as to 
be able to keep up the fire, and I put the place into 
order generally. 

I said to Charlie that I thought the patients were 
too close together, and that some steps should be 
taken to separate them. The aerial bower in which 
the women were was too high to be convenient either 
for us or for them, and I thought we had better get 
them down from it, and place them farther from the 
fire. He thought I was right. I then set to work 
about two rods further up the stream and put two poles 
of about eight feet long parallel with each other on 
stones, about two feet from the ground, and three or 
four feet apart. Across this frame I put small poles a 
few inches apart, until I had it covered. I got Charlie 
to cover it over thickly with leafy twigs, and on these 
a layer of long grass, while I made the frame of 
another such bed, about six feet to one side of this. 
Then I placed poles in the crotches of the trees, 
higher than our heads, and over and against these, 
branches, until I had it quite enclosed. With grassy 
pillows and soft beds I felt sure our patients would be 
much more comfortable, and this would help them to 
recover. Charlie helped Mrs. Travers down and upon 
one of the beds ; but it required both of us to carry 
Annie. We placed a flat stone near the head of each 
bed for a table on which to set vessels with milk and 
tea, and left them feeling much more comfortable. 
Mrs. Travers remarked, “This feels so much better, 


104 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


and I am so thankful for the change ! ” It was some 
time after dark before we had finished ; but we worked 
by the firelight. Afterward we threw all the grass 
and branches off the old bed and renewed it with 
fresh material. Herbert climbed up to it, and we fixed 
a stone on the corner of his bed and placed both tea 
and milk for him to take whenever he felt thirsty during 
the night. We then fixed a similar bed in the hut for the 
Commodore, laying one end of the poles on the bench 
and the other on stone. At a little distance from the 
hut, but within calling distance of both it and the 
bower, I made a comfortable bed for Charlie, covering 
it with boughs, and had him lie down for the night. 
Throwing a lot of fuel on the fire I felt confident that 
they would all sleep until morning. 

As soon as it was daylight I milked my goats, and 
taking the milk and such provisions as I thought they 
might need, I went again to their camp. I spent 
most of the forenoon in making conveniences of 
every possible kind, and doctoring them with tea, milk, 
curds, berries, etc. I also cut a large quantity of fuel 
for them, and returned to my camp in time for dinner. 
After dinner I went to the cove to examine my fish 
trap, in the hope of finding fish for the sick ones; but 
there were no fish, and the water did not appear to be 
deep enough to make my trap a success. I took my 
shovel and excavated a lot of sand out of the centre, 
and threw it toward the sides and on the dam and 
returned to my camp. 

Sitting down, I began to consider the situation and 
endeavor to reach a plan for the future. There was 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


105 


nothing for it — I must provide for the company. That 
was a settled point. Now, how best to do it? That 
was the question. Should I build a permanent camp 
on the site of the old one, on the site of my present 
one, or on a site yet to be chosen? The only real 
advantage of the old site was its proximity to the hill. 

The advantages that the hill afforded, were eggs 
and fowl in their season, and its elevation for a look- 
out for a sail. I felt sure that as soon as the ladies 
had regained their health, they would want to spend a 
large share of their time on the look-out, although I 
attached very little importance to it, and felt that if we 
ever left the island it would be in a boat of our own 
building. I reasoned it out in this way: If this island 
were in the regular track of vessels there would be 
more signs of its having been touched at, than there 
were. Then I remembered having heard some of the 
sailors say, before we left the “ Watchword,” that 
we were a long way out of our course. I concluded 
that we were in a northwesterly direction from Auck- 
land, perhaps from ten to twelve hundred miles. 
That we were too far north to be in the line for 
vessels going from New Zealand to the Cape, too far 
west to be in the line of those going along the coast 
of America, and too far east for those going from 
Hawaii or Samoa to New Zealand or Australia. I 
came to the conclusion that only some vessel driven 
from its course by foul weather, as were we, would 
ever be likelv to pass near our island. I thought per- 
haps the island was unknown to the civilized world, 
and so no regular visits would be made ; or if known, 


io 6 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


its diminutive size and comparatively small proportion 
of arable land — which was not sufficient to support a 
small population even — would prevent its ever being a 
station for any vessel to call at. These considerations 
led me to fear that we would never be taken off by a 
passing vessel. But it would not be wise to say this 
much to the women, or it would destroy the only 
source of comfort left them — a faint hope of rescue. 

These conclusions were not calculated to give me 
comfort; but they were calculated to prevent me from 
neglecting to make provision for a protracted stay on 
the island. So I decided to lay my plans on the 
assumption that the island was to be our home and 
our burial place. 

I at length decided to build a house, or houses, suit- 
able for the whole company, on such site as I should 
find most desirable, and fit up a home as comfortable 
as the circumstances would allow, into which we 
would move, and then we could have a thorough under- 
standing about all the duties that were to be performed 
and by whom, and get into a regular system. This 
would possibly remove the friction now existing, and 
help us to become more reconciled to our lot. 

The site was the question. I started up the little 
gully about one hundred and fifty yards, prospecting 
for a good place to build, as the ground was rather 
uneven about my hut. Here the gully forked. The 
one coming from the north began about ten rods fur- 
ther on, by a cluster of tiny springs coming out of the 
rocky crevices. The rock above this was almost bare 
and nearly level for a few yards in every direction. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


107 


The rock about here was a sort of gray slate, lying in 
thin layers that could be quarried easily, and would 
make many useful things for our house. 

This was near the goat pasture, and from it by far 
the largest proportion of our supplies must come. 
The swamp, our other source, was not very far distant 
to the south, and the cove where I hoped to catch 
fish was about a like distance to the northwest. The 
springs would furnish us with abundance of water, 
and fuel was plentiful in quite a large portion of that 
section. 

Here, then, all considered, was the best place to 
build, and the fallen dry trees would furnish me with 
the material. Having reached this decision, I returned 
to my camp preparatory to visiting the “hospital,” as 
I now called it. 

I found the patients generally improved. Annie 
was the only one in whom the improvement was not 
visible; but as her symptoms were not worse, I pro- 
nounced her better. Her case being one of relapse it 
required a longer time to effect an improvement. 
Charlie was attending to his duties manfully. I told 
him I would bring all the supplies, do all the 
cooking and prepare all the fuel, and that he must 
do the nursing, feed the patients and keep up the fire 
in my absence. I believed it was the tea that was 
helping them, and said he must urge them to take 
all they could. 

I visited them every morning and evening for 
about two weeks, carrying food of every kind, already 
cooked, so that Charlie had only to warm it up and 


108 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

serve it to them. At the end of this time they were 
all convalescent, Annie only being too weak to walk. 

Well, how had I employed my time during the day, 
between the visits ? The first two days I had spent at 
my fish-trap. I found that the bank that I had formed 
was a failure. It only allowed the surf to roll over it, 
in which the fish would not swim, so I cut out a piece 
of it in the centre about ten feet wide ; then I dug out 
a ditch through the centre, throwing the sand as far 
as possible to the sides ; then I threw stones over the 
sides of this ditch to prevent the sand from washing 
back again, and then made a barricade of stones about 
two feet high, across the ditch on a line with the dam. 
The top of these stones was not as high as the original 
bed of the cove, and on the inside would be quite a 
pond, say ten by twenty feet in size, and, allowing for 
some sand to wash in, from a foot to a foot and a half 
deep. This trap was successful, and nearly every 
time I visited it, which was from two to three times a 
week, I brought away one or two fishes of some sort. 

Having added fish to our food supply, I commenced 
to construct a house, or rather three houses, for the plan 
that I adopted was a sort of triple house. I first cut 
a number of logs out of the fallen trees about fifteen 
feet long, and then an equal number about twelve feet 
long. The largest not being more than ten inches in 
diameter at the large end, and being dry, I could easily 
manage to draw them to the place of building. By cut- 
ting a small bushy tree, stripping the leaves off and lay- 
ing it on the ground, rolling the log upon the top 
branches and taking the small tree by the large end, I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. IO9 

could draw it quite easily. Taking my axe and flatten- 
ing the sides of the logs a little, near each end, I laid 
them up like a pen, until I reached the height I 
wanted. Then by laying two more logs on one side than 
on the other, I made a pitch to my roof to carry off 
the rain. I then cut other logs long enough to reach 
all the way over the top, and to extend about two feet 
over at the highest side. These I split in two, and 
taking my axe, hollowed out the flat side like a trough; 
then laying two beside each other, hollowed side up, 
and turning one over the joint, hollowed side down, I 
made a perfectly water-tight roof. Over the west end 
of the first house, or shanty, that I built, I extended 
the top logs between three and four feet, and also 
built the roof over for the purpose of forming a sort of 
verandah. The highest side of my first house was to 
the south. I then built another exactly similar house 
to the south of this about four feet, with its highest 
side to the north. The projecting roofs meeting, 
formed a sort of covered passage of about four feet 
wide between the houses, and the roofs projecting on 
the west side made a verandah across that side. I 
now cut a hole in each for a door in the east end, the 
floors being the flat rock on which they were built. 
As the openings between the logs were not yet filled, 
it was not necessary to cut windows. I now built 
beds, two in the north house and three in the south 
one, similar to those I have already described, then 
fixed up a table in each out of large flat stones, made 
some benches in the same way, and pronounced my 
houses ready for occupation. 


I IO 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


My invalids were all in a fit condition to undertake 
the journey of removing except Annie, who was still 
very weak. So I thought it a good time to tell them 
what I had done. They were greatly surprised and 
pleased when I told them I had the body of two 
houses made for them, and that I could complete them 
while they occupied them, as they only wanted the 
chinking done to make them very substantial and 
comfortable. I advised that they move at once. 
There was nothing to carry but a few dishes, and 
these Herbert and the Commodore could take, and 
Charlie and I would carry Annie by making a litter 
on two poles. 

We formed a strange procession as we moved slowly 
on along the rough path, on that solitary little 
island. Charlie and I led the company. Mrs. Tra- 
vers walked slowly after us. Herbert and the Com- 
modore followed on behind. When Charlie and I 
stopped to rest they all stopped, and when we moved 
they all moved, until at length our company had taken 
possession of its new quarters. 

Mrs. Travers at once inquired where I was going to 
be quartered. I told her it was my intention to build 
another cabin, larger than either of these, just to the 
east of them, and when it was done I intended to 
have my quarters in it; until then I would camp in 
my hut, where I was very comfortable. She and 
Annie joined in saying that it was too bad that I 
should first provide a house for them, while I still had 
only a hut for myself. 

My next job was to chink up the ladies’ house a 


A REAI ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I I I 


little higher than their heads all around, so that they 
could enjoy some degree of privacy, and Charlie got 
long grass and filled all the interstices around the 
chinks. 

I next built a door for their house. I did this by 
hewing out enough flat pieces of the right length. I 
hewed out two cross pieces to fasten these together, 
and allowed one end, which I left thicker than the 
other part, to project to form a hinge. I took my iron 
bar, and heating the sharpened end in the fire, burned 
holes through the end of these hinges to swing them 
on. Then I burned holes through the strap of the 
hinge, and corresponding ones through the hewed 
planks of the door, and fitted wooden pegs into them, 
wedged at either end, until I had a door made with 
wooden strap hinges. Then I made pieces on which 
the door was to hang, making the plug part to fit the 
holes in the straps, and with a square shoulder for the 
straps to ride on, after which I burned holes through 
these and corresponding holes in the hewed door jamb 
and fastened them on with wooden pegs driven in. 
Then I made a wooden latch, and fixed it on with 
wooden pegs, also a catch for it, fastened on the front 
jamb in the same way. A string of raw goat skin 
tied to this and worked through a hole burnt through 
the door a little higher up, completed the job, and the 
women had a house with a door to it, and by pulling 
the string from the hole, it was locked. 


CHAPTER XII. 


Soap-manufacturing — Skin-curing — The rice crop — 
Our strained relations — My tailoring — House-build- 
ing — My talk with Mrs. Travers — My talk with 
Charlie — I refuse to help the men any more. 

E had row been on the island over two months, 



and the real work for providing ourselves 


with substantial comforts had all been done within 
the last few weeks, and the whole of it had fallen to my 
lot. The others were now better, and very fair quar- 
ters had been provided for them, and I felt that they 
ought to do what they could to help, and do it will- 
ingly, without being asked. They saw how hard I had 
to work and that I was far behind with what wanted to 
be done, and yet I got but little help from them. 
Charlie helped the most; but since the others had got 
better, he seemed to have greater pleasure in sitting 
and talking with them, or in taking a stroll to the shore 
or hill, than he had in helping me. I determined that 
I would not be a slave for them, and the friction that 
I had hoped would cease, seemed likely to increase. 
Herbert did a little work, but the Commodore posi- 
tively never turned his hand. 

The rice was nearly ripe, and the crop was to be 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. I 1 3 

garnered. The tea must be gathered and dried, or it 
would soon be useless. A thousand things required to 
be done to complete our outfit, and I almost despaired 
of ever getting through it. None of us had a change 
of clothing, and any washing that we had done, had 
been a sort of rinse in water, and we were therefore 
not too clean. So I decided to make soap. I went to 
the swamp and gathered willows, and cut a lot of sticks 
the size of a man’s finger. I wove the willows around 
these and made the tube of a basket, without ends, 
about three feet long and two feet across. This I set 
up on a flat stone slightly inclined. I then put some 
grass in the bottom of it and all around against the 
inside, and packed it full of ashes, by pounding with 
the square end of a stick. I then put water on the 
top of the ashes and caught the lye as it filtered from 
the bottom into an earthern vessel. I took all the fat 
that I had saved from the kids, and boiling it in the 
lye, I made soap with which to wash our clothes. 

The women were astonished at the process, and 
even, after my showing them how to wash clothes, it 
was amusing to see the awkward efforts that they 
made, and the results that they achieved. A real 
washerwoman would have lifted her hands in horror 
had she looked at a washing of such color on her line. 

I knew that all the clothing we had would be worn 
to shreds in a little while. My own cheap suit was 
threadbare, and if we were to be saved by a passing 
ship we would all want a suit; so I determined to 
make clothes, and lay my own away as a sort of best 
suit, if I ever found occasion to wear it. In some 


1 14 a REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

places on the island there were scrubby little trees, the 
under bark of which had an astringent property, and I 
was satisfied that it possessed some tannin. I accord- 
ingly gathered a quantity of it, and steeping it on the 
fire, extracted the juice. This I evaporated down 
until it was pretty strong liquor. I took the skins of 
the kids and put them into a vessel with ashes and 
water, until the hair loosened, and then taking the hair 
off, I put the skins into my tan liquor and left them 
to tan. Out of these I made a complete suit, mocca' 
sins and all. 

The plantain had become too old to use, and the 
rice was now ready. Taking the basket that I made 
to carry clay in, and putting a kid skin inside of it, I 
went to the swamp. I made a raft of logs, tied 
together with withes, and taking a long pole with 
which to push the raft about, I set to work to gather 
rice. I did this from day to day until all the vessels 
that I could spare were filled. None of the men offered 
to help me gather rice; but whenever the meals were 
served they were on hand to get their share. When I 
had gathered all the rice that I desired, I said to 
Charlie, “Do you men expect to eat rice in the 
future?” He said he hoped so. “Well,” said I, 
“who do you expect to gather it for you?” He said 
he had not thought of it. I said, “Then don’t depend 
on me, for a very sudden change is coming over the 
culinary arrangements here, so don’t be surprised, and 
remember that when I change I shall stand firm.” 
This led to a council of war, the only apparent result 
being the gathering by Herbert and Charlie of a quan- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 1 5 

tity of rice — too small for their wants — and putting 
it in a heap on the stone floor of their house. 

During all this time I had not spent a moment in 
the society of one of them. In the forenoon the 
women and sometimes the Commodore and the two 
young men, would spend most of their time under the 
verandah on the west side of the house, and in the 
afternoon either in the passage between the houses, or 
in the shade of the east side of the house. None of 
them ever asked me to sit down with them or under- 
took in any way to engage with me in conversation, 
except such as was necessary in connection with 
things to be done. None of them ever came to my 
hut except when they wanted something. When I 
cooked the victuals they would always come and get a 
supply. One of the women would get enough for the 
two women, and one of the men, either Herbert or 
Charlie — the Commodore never came — would get 
enough for the men. The Commodore had not 
spoken to me since coming to the camp. 

My original design in building the house was to 
make a third building to the east of the two that I had 
made, larger than either of them, and extending across 
the two, with a roof joining the others, covering a 
passage between them; but the way the men were act- 
ing decided me to change my plan, for I saw — now 
that they were all well — that they had quite forgotten 
the one who had nursed them back to life when they 
were sick. I spent one whole day in picking tea, 
which I spread in the sun, and Charlie seeing it, he 
and Herbert went and gathered some for themselves ; 


II 6 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

but like the rice, not a sufficient quantity to last them 
until the next season. 

My evenings I had spent in making clothes of the 
tanned skins of the kids. I had cut them out with 
my knife, and sewed them together with strings cut 
from the skins, put through holes made with the point 
of a sharpened bone. They did not fit very well, and 
the seams were not very smooth, nor were they in any 
style to be found in tailors’ charts. There were a 
pair of trousers, a sort of smock shirt and a pair of 
moccasins. The hat that I first made had to be 
renewed several times, and I had now a superior and 
more endurable article — made by weaving lopg grass 
through twigs. Fitted out with a new suit, I washed 
my old clothes and hung them out to dry, preparatory 
to being put away in my wardrobe. 

The first morning that I came out in my leather suit 
was to begin the construction of my own house, and I 
had not been long at work, when I found my compan- 
ions were attracted by my appearance, and Charlie 
came over to examine my clothes. I told him my 
reason for putting away my old clothes, and it made 
him look rather serious; for he doubtless began to 
think that he, too, would soon require a new suit, and 
was likely wondering where he would find a tailor. 
He returned to their house, and an ^animated conver- 
sation ensued near the door, the ladies taking part in 
it. They watched me work for some time, when it 
evidently began to dawn on them that I was beginning 
to build. 

When they first came to the house I had explained 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


II 7 


to Mrs. Travers that my intention was to build imme- 
diately adjoining their house, and now I was prepar- 
ing my foundation still further east than my old hut. 
They doubtless wondered at the change in my plans, 
and presently Mrs. Travers came over to where I was 
at work, and asked if I was commencing to build. I 
answered in the affirmative, and she said she thought 
I was going to build close beside them. 

“ That was my original intention ; but as I find that 
I am not of your set, and my immediate presence 
would likely annoy you, I have chosen this site.” 

“I am afraid a complete reconciliation has not 
taken place, and that there is trouble for us in the 
future,” said she. 

“Very likely, and it will probably begin soon,” I 
said. 

“Could you not be persuaded to change the place 
of building your house, from the site now selected?” 

“I think I could be persuaded — perhaps easily — 
to change the site ; for it would not require much per- 
suasion to induce me to go farther away.” 

“You surely won’t desert us again?” 

“No; I will feed you two women. You shall not 
want for food — so long as the Commodore continues 
on his good behavior. Should he interfere with me I 
may alter my plans ; but you must clothe yourselves. 
If you are sick, I will nurse you; but that is all you 
must expect of me. I do that freely and voluntarily. 
You may depend upon me ; but I may tell you, and 
you may repeat it to the men, I will not feed or cook 
for them. I have gathered enough tea and rice for 


I 1 8 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

you two and myself ; but they will not be allowed to 
share it, though they starve. I made the raft and 
they were welcome to use it; if they could not gather 
rice for themselves, it is none of my business. The 
tea grew abundantly, and they had nothing to do but 
collect it. When have they killed a kid ? When have 
they cooked a meal? Am I to do everything for 
them? Am I their servant? I may further tell you 
that we will in all probability never leave this island, 
except in a boat of our own construction, and this 
hope that prevents action may as well be abandoned. 
We are out of the track of regular vessels, and the 
island is too small to attract commercial attention, 
even if its existence is known, and the chances are one 
thousand to one against our rescue. Now the winter 
is coming on, and the storms that prevail through 
the wet season would make it altogether too danger- 
ous a thing for us to undertake to go to sea in a craft 
of our own make until another summer has well set in, 
or more than a year from the time we landed here. 
Under these circumstances we must prepare, with an 
almost absolute certainty, to remain here through the 
wet season. To this end I built the houses for your- 
self and company, because I knew that I was the only 
one who could use the axe. I have built those as far as 
they are finished, and I will complete yours when the 
weather demands it. The other will remain as it is all 
winter, if its inmates do not complete it. They are not 
children. They know as well as I do what is to be 
done, and the only reason why they don’t work is 
because they think I will do the work for them. I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 119 

fear they will find their mistake. I am heartily glad 
I did not build my house when I built the others. 
Were it not for you two women I would not build 
within a mile of them. Now you understand me, and 
you can make them understand ; for the time of their 
feeding at the expense of my labor is at an end.” 

She returned to the house, and the whole company 
spent the rest of the forenoon at the side of the house 
in the shade. I presume they were talking over the 
situation and trying to decide what was best to be done, 
for they must have seen that another crisis was at 
hand. 

At noon they came for their food as usual, and not 
a word was spoken about what I had told Mrs. 
Travers. 

In the afternoon I again went to my work and Char- 
lie came to me and asked if he could help me. 

“I don’t know that you can,” said I. Then thinking 
it was time to come to an understanding with him, I 
said, “ Charlie, when you came here to me and got me 
to go and help you, I thought things were to go 
smoothly in the future. You and Herbert both pro- 
fessed your willingness to bear your share of the bur- 
dens that lay upon us ; but what have either of you 
done? The Commodore professed nothing and he has 
lived up to it, and I expect nothing from him; it is 
too late for us ever to be friends. You all feel your- 
selves my superiors, and you show only too plainly 
what you feel. Not one of you has asked me to sit 
with you under the roof that I built. Not one of you 
has ever undertaken to while away or make pleasant 


120 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


one hour of my life. Not one of you has ever spoken 
a word to me except on business. If I draw near to 
any of you when in conversation you hush your talk, 
although there are no neighbors to whom I could carry 
tales, were I disposed to do so. This is all proof to 
me that you feel toward me as you might toward a 
negro slave; and why? My family were associated 
with the best families in England, and I was rather a 
favorite than otherwise in society. I never did an act 
in my life that would make even my angel mother 
blush. My life has been above reproach. I left home 
a jolly young man and went to the colonies. I worked 
in the mines and at sheep farming, where I associated 
with rough men, and not to appear odd to them, I 
adopted their manners and dropped my own. I neg- 
lected my grammar and correct diction, and for years 
my manner has been suited to my calling. The change 
is no doubt greater than I had supposed, and you, 
fresh from college and drawing-rooms, think me a low- 
bred ignoramus and treat me so. I am ashamed of 
nothing in my life, except, perhaps, the unpolished ways 
into which I have fallen. Now, do you suppose that 
I will submit to be made a lackey of, and that without 
reward ? Do you expect that I will become provider, 
cook, washerwoman and scrubber, for people to whom 
I owe nothing and who have no claim on me, except 
that circumstances have thrown us together ? You 
must take me for an idiot, pure and simple. I tell you 
emphatically that I will not do it! No, Charlie, I have 
no work at which you can help me. Had you all 
played your parts and helped me, it would have been 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


1 2 I 


an easy task for us to have lifted these logs to build 
this house, and after my building a house for the 
others I expected a willingness on the part of you all 
to help me ; but it is now too late ; you can never do 
what you should have done, and you are the only real 
sufferers. After to-day I shall only prepare food 
enough for myself and the two women. They may 
come three times a day, and I will give them enough 
for them both, but no more. You three men will 
have to build a fire-place and provide and cook your 
own food. If you want milk you will have to capture 
goats and milk them. If you want flesh, you will 
have to capture kids and kill them. If you want fish, 
you may go to my trap and take them. If you want 
rice or tea until they grow again, you will stock your- 
selves. I will give you a few vessels with which to do 
your cooking for the present ; should you want more 
and will carry enough clay so that I can make more, I 
will do so and you may burn them in my furnace. I 
will be a neighbor to you and will lend such things 
as you cannot make. I will cut logs for you to draw 
or carry to your fire ; then by putting one end in the 
fire, they will burn off, and you can push them up 
when they are burned off. I will show you how to do 
what you do not know, but beyond this I will not go. 
No, I will not accept of your help in building my 
house, and I think you will find enough to do to help 
yourselves, and my advice is, that you set about it at 
once.” 

Charlie said he was very sorry. He knew they had 
not treated me rightly ; but he hoped something could 


122 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


be done yet to reach an understanding, so that they 
could do certain things and make it agreeable all 
around. It really seemed too bad to have to keep up 
two fires for six people, and he hoped at least that 
they would be able to cook at my fire. Then they 
would need more vessels, and he thought they would 
accept of my offer in regard to them. They had been 
thinking the clothing question over, and he really did 
not know how they would manage if I did not help 
them in this respect. “In fact,” said he, “we have 
not appreciated you at your worth, and there we have 
made our mistake ; and we are all too ready to take 
the Commodore’s advice and be guided by him. Now 
if you will allow me to help you put up the logs of 
your house, it will be entirely in consideration of past 
favors on your part, and will be a real pleasure to me.” 

“No, Charlie; I will not allow you to do it. I will 
build my house myself, and do you go to work for 
yourselves, for you have plenty to do.” 

“Cannot we arrange to get milk from you, for we 
cannot milk the goats. For my part, I am perfectly 
sure I cannot do it, and Herbert spent nearly half an 
hour trying the goat over at the old camp, and could 
not get a drop.” 

“I will show you how to do it, and a little practice 
will make you all right.” 

Charlie looked very serious for a while and then 
said, “ Well, I am very sorry, and I know we are all to 
blame.” 

He then turned and went back to the house, and I 
went on with my work until evening. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


123 


I saw the Commodore and Herbert return from 
the hill about five o’clock, and when supper was 
cooked, Charlie and Mrs. Travers came and got 
sufficient for all their wants. This was the last time 
that I would prepare enough for more than three 
people. 


> 





CHAPTER XIII. 


Trouble with the Commodore — I move again — My 
new camp — I build a castle — Precautions against 
assault — My furnace — Settled in a new home. 

HE next morning, Charlie came down to the fire 



JL and said that it was impossible for them to get 
their breakfasts, for they had nothing to cook and no 
means of cooking, and if I would give them their 
breakfasts they would try and be prepared for dinner. 

“ Charlie, I told Mrs. Travers yesterday morning 
that the end of my providing had arrived, and asked 
her to tell you. She certainly did so, for your visit 
indicated as much. I then told you immediately after 
dinner, knowing that you took no steps to prepare for 
your breakfast, while the Commodore and Herbert 
spent their afternoon on the hill. Neither you nor 
they believed that I had firmness enough to carry out 
my resolutions. What I have said I mean. I have 
only prepared enough for the two women and myself, 
and I will prepare no more. Take a brand from my 
fire and kindle a blaze; put a stone into it to heat 
and go and get fish or frogs. Do as you please. I 
am done with you.” 

Charlie did not take my advice, but went back to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


125 


the house, and I continued with my work. I had not 
worked more than an hour, when looking up, I saw 
the Commodore and Herbert approaching my hut. 
Anticipating what they were after, I started for the 
hut at full speed. They succeeded in reaching it first, 
and when I got to the door they were on the point of 
leaving. The Commodore had seized a crock with 
fried kid in it, and Herbert one of milk curd. I said, 
“Gentlemen, please lay down my food and leave my 
hut.” The Commodore lifted the crock and threw it 
straight at me. I had not anticipated this assault, 
and it struck my left shoulder and partly turned me 
around. The Commodore followed up the attack and, 
taking advantage of the confusion that the blow from 
the crock had put me into, struck me a heavy blow on 
the side of the head, which felled me to the ground. 
I tried to get up ; but he struck me again, sending me 
sprawling. I lay still and pretended that I was badly 
hurt. He then returned to the hut, took another 
crock of kid, and left, pouring out vile imprecations 
on my devoted head, and threatening what he would 
do if I played off the gentleman, saying that I was 
only fit for a servant and he would make one of me, or 
break my infernal neck. 

When they were gone, I got up and went into my 
hut and lay down on the bed to think. That I should 
remain there was impossible, and the only thing for 
me to do was to go away to the greatest distance. 
But where should I go ? I had not explored the basin 
of the swamp except on the sides where we had made 
our camps. My exploring trip had been around the 


126 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


coast. If I could find a stream of water or a spring 
on the south side of the swamp, where I could get 
water, I would be able to camp there nicely. But 
how should I get my goods away? The Commodore 
would very likely interfere to prevent it. However, 
whether I could get my goods away or not, I would go 
at once. 

I got up and took an inventory of my bruises. 
My shoulder was sore where it was struck with the 
crock. The side of my head was swollen and my 
neck was stiff and sore from the last blow; but my 
legs were all right. I put my clothes on over my kid 
suit, took up my axe and iron bar and all my tanned 
skins, put a lunch of kid and curds into a kid skin 
bag that I had made to take the place of a pocket, and 
slung it over my shoulder with a kid string. I then 
left the hut by the goat pen, down the gully, to the 
main gully, keeping amongst the trees so as not to be 
observed. Turning up the gully to the right, I fol- 
lowed it to the swamp, and turning again to the right, 
followed the west end of the swamp from the north to 
the south. I was pleased to find trees, grass, bushes 
of various kinds, and some springs sending water into 
the swamp. On the south side I found two or three 
very convenient camping grounds. I selected one, 
convenient to a cluster of springs of sweet water, and 
only a short distance from the margin of the swamp. 
There was an abundance of grass growing, and a little 
further in, rice. A clear passage made a good place 
for landing my raft, and I decided to move my goods 
across the swamp on the raft, instead of around it 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


127 


by hand. I fixed up a hut with bushes and a 
bed, and leaving my clothes and everything except my 
axe, I returned to the north side of the swamp and put 
my raft into position. I made a paddle to move the 
raft with if I found the water too deep for the pole, 
and then returned to my hut by the way I left it. I 
did not find the place disturbed, although from the 
state in which the fire was, I knew it had been used. 
I milked the goats and put the milk to cool for supper. 
I then filled the rice into jugs and put everything into 
shape for moving. When Mrs. Travers came for her 
supper I gave it to her without a word. She noticed 
my swollen face and inquired if I had been hurt? I 
told her she was right, and she remarked that I was 
away at noon. I told her that I went for a stroll. 
She then went back to the house and I saw none of 
them that evening. 

As soon as it was dark I began to carry my stuff 
away from the hut. I took all the rice that the jugs 
would hold, and all the meat and tea in the camp. 
I also took all the good earthen vessels; in fact, 
everything except a crock of soap and the leach 
through which I filtered the lye. These I carried over 
the hill and left amongst some bushes, until I 
got them all removed. I then carried them all 
another stage and put them on the raft. This job 
took me nearly all night. I dared not attempt to nav- 
igate the swamp until day-light; but as soon as the 
light was sufficient, I set my raft in motion and was 
not long in reaching the other shore in safety. 

I did not stop to unload the raft, but returned by 


128 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


land to the hut, and after milking the goats and drink- 
ing the milk, I pried open one corner of the pen and 
let the goats out. I had felt sure for some time that 
the goats would not leave me if let loose, and had 
intended when my house was built to liberate them. I 
knew that none of the inmates of the house would be 
up before seven or eight o’clock, and I meant to try 
and get the goats to follow me to my new home and 
leave a clean camp to surprise them in the morning. 
Taking some salt in my hand and giving the goats a 
taste of it, I started by the nearest road for the west 
end of the swamp. The goats ran beside me, bleat- 
ing noisily. I was afraid that the bleating would 
wake some of the inmates of the house; but if it did, 
they made no sign while I was in sight, which was 
not long. 

I had not much difficulty in getting them to the new 
camp, but had grave fears of being able to keep them 
there until they should become accustomed to it. At 
first I thought that I had better build a pen for them, 
but decided to risk the chance of their leaving. I soon 
unloaded'my raft and brought all the stuff to my hut, 
and then lay down and took a good sleep. 

What a surprise no doubt awaited them on going to 
my hut in the morning ! The fire gone out, for I had 
not renewed it; not a match in the camp, for Char- 
lie had used all they possessed in the camp by the 
hill, and the only ones on the island were a few that 
remained in my match safe when Charlie returned it. 
Yery little food and no milk. They were in a nice fix. 
Well, the Commodore, “their protector,” was to blame 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


129 


for it. How could he be so cruel ? Cruel both to me 
and his friends, for now they would have to suffer with 
him. 

Upon awaking I found the goats had done just 
what I feared they would do. Instead of feeding on 
the luxuriant grass that grew in great abundance all 
around, true to their mischievous natures, they had 
been browsing on my hut, and destroyed a large por- 
tion of it. I had not awakened, for I was very tired 
and sleepy. After satisfying themselves, they had lain 
down in the hut, and here I found them, happily 
chewing their cuds. I saw that they were not likely to 
leave me ; but they would occupy both my hut and my 
bed, if they were at liberty to go where they pleased, 
and if I had no means of shutting them out of my 
dwellings. 

I thought it very probable that I would not be 
molested again, and that they would not again seek to 
follow me; that this w6uld likely be my permanent 
home until I should be rescued, if ever that time 
should come. So I determined to build sufficiently 
strong and close to serve me through the rainy season. 
I also decided to build a strong store-room in which 
to keep my rice stored, and in which to put my other 
food, whenever I found it necessary to leave my 
house. For I thought it quite possible that the cruel 
tyrant from across the swamp might make a raid on 
me at any time that he found, their stores had run low. 

A few rods back from my hut vegetable growth 
ceased and barren rock extended from this to the sea* 
shore, a distance of nearly half a mile. Large num- 


130 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


bers of loose flat stones lay all over this, broken from 
the layers of which the rock was formed, by some nat- 
ural convulsion in the past ages. I saw that I could 
build a house out of these stones with only a little 
more labor than it would require to build it of wood, 
by laying into walls, without mortar. I took my axe 
and hewed out pieces for jambs for doors and win- 
dows, and commenced to build a house of two rooms. 
The front or living room I made about twelve by fifteen 
feet, and the back or store-room six by fifteen. The 
roof I made all one pitch from the front to the back of 
the house. I built one outside door in the east end 
of the front room, and an inside door between the 
rooms, near the east end of the room. This door 
was hung on the store-room side and swung into 
that room. The windows, which were only open- 
ings, were too narrow for a man to get through and 
too high for the goats to jump into. They were three 
in number, two on the north side and one in the west 
end. I built the walls thick and strong so that they 
would stand quite a shock, should they ever be put to 
the test. Across the west end of the front room I 
built two poles into the walls, about two feet from 
the ground and about three and a half apart, on which 
to make a bed; and in the two east corners, on either 
side of the door, I built small poles into the walls ang- 
ling across the corners, for the purpose of putting flat 
stones, or hewed pieces of wood on them for tables. 
In the north side of the room, between the windows, 
I put four pairs of short poles into the stones, and 
projecting into the room about a foot, for the purpose 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 3 I 

of placing hewed shelves upon them to form a 
cupboard. When I had built the walls to the right 
height, I cut strong poles and laid them across from 
east to west like cross rafters, and cutting green trees, 
I peeled the bark off, in pieces about ten feet long all 
around the tree in one piece, and spread them on the 
poles, letting the upper row of bark lap over the 
lower one like shingles. I put on several thicknesses 
of this bark, each time breaking the joints, and then 
laid two poles across the roof one on the middle and 
the other at the bottom, and built a parapet of stones 
on the walls on the north, east and west, lying on the 
edges of the bark and the ends of the poles. 

This made a very strong roof, and one that it 
would not be easy to break through, should any one 
ever undertake the job. It would also be safe to turn 
the water well, for several years. 

My house, with its narrow windows, looked like 
a miniature fortress, and a stranger visiting the island 
and ascertaining the character of the animal life on it, 
would wonder why it was built in this substantial way. 
It was indeed a pity, that with only six human souls 
on the island such precautions were found necessary. 

I made and hung a door in the same way that I had 
done in the house that I built for the women, but 
made the latch and its catch very much stronger. I 
then made a place for a string that was attached to 
the latch, to run over pegs and reach to the inside of 
the northwest window, where it fastened to a peg. 
When the string, by which the latch was regularly 
lifted, was taken from its hole in the door and this 


132 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


string was attached to the latch, and its other end put 
on the peg by the window, the door could only be 
opened by a man standing on a short log of wood 
leaned against the house under the window, and reach- 
ing his hand through the window, pull the end of the 
string, and thus lift the latch. A stranger, who did 
not understand this little device, would find it impossi- 
ble to open the door when the regular latch string was 
withdrawn, as I always withdrew it when I left my 
house alone, even for a short time. If the Commodore 
came he would not stop short of violence, in his deter- 
mination to procure an entrance, and consequently 
the strength with which I built my door. Should he 
use violence, and secure an entrance to the living-room, 
to foil him in his attempt to get at my stores I built 
the door to that room still stronger than the other, 
and fastened a wide piece of wood across the middle 
of the door, on the inside. I then cut a log of wood 
and flattened the two sides, and fitted it in such a way 
that one end would rest against the outside wall, on the 
ground just opposite the door, and the other end lean 
against the strong cross-piece of the door. When this 
brace was put against the door, in the way I have 
described, I believe it would be impossible for one 
man to break the door down, even with a battering 
ram. So, should the Commodore attempt to break 
into my house, he would fail to get at the stores. 

To remove this brace I had a very strong string 
attached to the upper end of it, and carried over pegs 
to the upper corner of the room at the west end, just 
under the roof. The end of this string had a small 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


133 


peg of wood fastened to it, which dropped between 
the stones, and could not be seen from the room. By- 
putting the hand over the top of the dividing wall at 
this point, and placing the fingers between the stones, 
this little peg could be reached, and by pulling the 
string attached to it the upper end of the brace would 
be lifted and the door could then be opened. 

It had required a long time to build this house and 
complete it thus far, for I had had other work to do as 
well, and the rainy season was just commencing when 
I had the outside done. I laid the floor of the store- 
room with flat stones and moved all my stores into it, 
and let the brace down against the door, and kept 
it there continually, so as to be prepared for a 
surprise. 

I built a house for the goats in which they would 
always find a dry bed, and in which I could milk them 
on rainy days. They were great pets, and being the 
only living things with which I associated, I made a 
great deal of them. They would follow at my heels 
wherever I went, and would try to sleep in my bed. 
Wherever I was at work they were with me ; whenever 
I would sit down they were between my feet, or their 
heads were on my knees, or they were trying to climb 
over me, or were rubbing against me. I returned their 
affection and caresses, for they not only fed me, but 
were affectionate companions with whom I never had 
a quarrel. It would be much pleasanter if the human 
beings on the island were as agreeable companions as 
were these poor dumb brutes, that had so recently 
made the acquaintance of man. 


134 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I had built a furnace for cooking, something like my 
other one ; but I took a different course in regard to 
fuel. Instead of keeping my fire burning brightly all 
the time, when I was through with my cooking, 
which I only did once a day, I took out the logs 
that were a-fire at one end, and laying them in a 
heap, covered the fire part over with sods; then it 
would smoulder away like fire in a coal pit. When 
I wanted my fire again I would open it out, return 
it to the furnace, and adding fuel, soon have a good 
blaze. 

I did not eat as much meat as formerly. The goats’ 
milk made good strong food. Rice boiled in the milk 
made very pleasant diet, and the cheese made from 
the curds was an agreeable change. I could get a 
feed of frogs’ legs whenever I wished to have them, 
and occasionally I would go out and capture a kid, fry- 
ing part of it, and roasting the rest. 

I was getting very comfortably settled, and began 
to feel quite at home, considering my lonely circum- 
stances. My days began to grow monotonous. I got 
up in the morning and milked my goats — a small 
job now, for the milk was failing — put the milk into 
a pan in the store-room, ate a breakfast of cold boiled 
rice and cheese, washing it down with a strong cup of 
cold tea, swept out my house and yard with a broom 
made by tying small branches upon a handle. I then 
made a trip to the highest point of the rock between 
my camp and the sea, to look for a sail. Returning, 
I made up my fire, cooked some meat or warmed 
it up, boiled some rice, and if I had any sour milk 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


35 


made some curds. Then I would eat my dinner, 
putting away what rice was left, for supper and 
breakfast, fix my fire, cut some fuel, and go again to 
look for a sail. Returning, I ate my supper, as I 
had my breakfast, petted my goats awhile and then 
retired. 





CHAPTER XIV. 


No news from the old camp — Rope-making — Charlie’s 
visit — His misery — I propose escape — His story of 
the trials at the old camp — Herbert’s selfishness. 

HEN we came to the island I had no idea of 



the day of the week, or month. I had been 


so sick and had loafed around on the ship in such a 
way, and there had been so much confusion on board, 
and fear of being lost, that nobody had thought of 
speaking of the days. If the Commodore had kept 
any reckoning, I had heard nothing of it; but I hardly 
think that he had done so. I did not attempt to 
count the time on the island and so cannot tell how 
long it had been since I left the other camp; but it 
must have been not far from two months. I had not 
seen any of them, and I often wondered how they had 
got along? I never saw any smoke in their direction; 
yet they might have had a fire and the trees so 
obscured the smoke that I had not noticed it. I often 
thought of them. Their rice and tea would be nearly 
exhausted. I presumed that my fish trap was still 
gathering fish for them. The frogs could still be got, 
and they had learned enough of my way of capturing 
kids to do it easily. They were well housed, had 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


137 


plenty of good water, and they had only to drag the 
smaller of the dry trees to the furnace and push one 
end into it to keep up their fire. I could not see why 
they should not get along very well, and since we 
could not live in peace together, we had better live 
apart. This was the way I looked at it, and if they 
were satisfied I was, and hoped they would never 
come near me again; for if they ever did, and the 
Commodore gave me occasion, I would take sweet 
revenge upon him. 

I had found a sort of wild hemp, something like 
what I had seen in New Zealand, but I think of an 
inferior quality. I had gathered a lot of it and spread 
it out near my house to rot the woody part, as I had 
seen them do with flax in Ireland, when I had made a 
visit to that country with my father. I had beaten a 
lot of this with a stick on a stone and was twisting 
ropes, strings and things of this kind that I thought 
would be useful, and thus fill up my spare hours and 
the days of rain and storm. 

While I was engaged twisting rope one day, in front 
of my house, with my goats lying about my feet, I was 
startled by a step, and looking up, saw Charlie 
approaching. He bade me good-day, asked after my 
health, and took the seat that I offered him on a 
block of wood. He had a very dilapidated look. 
His clothes hung on him in rags; his shoes were a 
great deal more hole than shoe, and he was thin and 
looked sick and miserable. He sat for some time with- 
out speaking, and when he did speak, it was in a voice 
full of tears. He said, “Well, you seem to be very 


I38 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

comfortable here ; I wish we were as well fixed as you 
are.” 

“Yes, under the circumstances I have no cause 
to complain; but I should like the circumstances 
changed, and my condition changed proportionately.” 

He sat a little while before he again spoke, then 
with a heavy sigh he said, “ Oh, for a mud hovel 
beside an Irish bog ; oh, for a bootblack’s outfit in the 
slums of the metropolis ; oh, for a lackey’s place in the 
servant’s hall of the most ignoble in the realm; oh, 
for a dungeon in the tower of London; oh, for any- 
thing on earth but this, and I don’t know but I might 
add truthfully — oh, for a grave in the sea. How much 
better it would have been for us if we had gone 
down in the ‘Watchword’; if our trials had all 
ended with a plunge, a gasp, a ripple. I have lost all 
hope of ever being rescued, and life here is intolerable. 
How do you feel about it ? ” 

I sat silently listening to this despairing outburst, 
and after taking a few moments to consider how to 
best answer it so as to drive away his gloom, I said, 
“ Charlie, I believe there are millions of people in the 
world who would gladly change places with us. Our 
lot is not so bad as you think it; but it certainly is 
tiresome enough, and especially so for a young man 
who has always moved in the whirl of society and 
never had to take hold of and wrestle with the difficul- 
ties that beset the poor and the unfortunate ; but bad 
as it is, it need not be endured unless we prefer it. I 
have been thinking that there is nothing to hinder us 
from building a craft in which to leave this island; 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


139 


at least one chance in two of getting back into civili- 
zation. We may fail and we may succeed. Hope 
would keep us up while we sailed away day after day, 
and if despair came it would only be for a short time, 
and then death would end it all. We all have to die 
and we may as well die at sea a few days earlier, as to 
die here a few days later. If you think it best to try 
it, I will do my part ; but I will never consent to build 
a boat and go to sea in it in company with the Com- 
modore. He must stay here until taken off by friend- 
lier hands than mine. Herbert can keep him com- 
pany, and the other four can try the sea. What do 
you say to it ? ” 

It was some time before he said, “I would do it if 
we all could go together; but the ladies would never 
consent to go in a boat. We have talked it over and 
the Commodore says as you do — that if we had a sea- 
worthy boat or raft, we would stand a chance of being 
picked up or might reach some inhabited island, and 
get shipping from there to our home. The women said 
they would not trust themselves in such a thing and 
would rather die here on the land though they lived 
for fifty years longer. You and I might leave, and if 
we got to some place where civilized creatures live we 
could send for them, but I don’t think I would trust 
myself on such a journey. We would be sure to come 
to grief.” 

“Well, suppose I try it. I don’t much mind it; it 
has very little terror for me, for I am not very partic- 
ular whether I get to England or not. I thought 
before leaving New Zealand I would return home and 


140 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


see all the folks, and they would be so pleased to see 
me after my long absence, and they would make a 
great fuss over me, arid the rest of my life would be 
made comfortable. My mother always seemed to 
think more of me than she did of any of the others ; 
perhaps because I needed more thought. My brothers 
and sisters were all in a fair way to do well in life, and 
if my father is dead — as doubtless he and mother both 
are — he has, in all probability, left provision for me 
in his will. With thoughts and hopes of this kind I 
started for home, but the treatment I have received 
from your company has taught me that I have degen- 
erated more than I had supposed, and it is likely I 
would be so rude and rough that they would all be 
ashamed of me, and wish to push me aside, perhaps 
deny me altogether. This would make it so unpleas- 
ant for me that I could not remain at home, and I 
would indeed be friendless and homeless and unhappy. 
Rather than meet a reception of that kind I would 
make my grave in the Pacific; for while I know I 
have lost a great deal of my refinement, I have lost 
none of my pride, and I would not stay one hour with 
my own people if I thought I was not only heartily 
welcome, but that they were really glad to have me 
return home. Having considered the matter very 
calmly, I now fear the reception that would await me, 
and I ^m not very particular whether I get home or 
not. I certainly should like a little more civilized 
life than this, and would not object to making a strug- 
gle to get it.” 

Conversation seemed difficult. Charlie had evi- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


141 


dently come for a purpose, and did not feel like enter- 
ing into generalities until it was settled. I knew that 
he wanted to open up with some request. I did not 
feel in a humor for granting anything and was some- 
what embarrassed, as I did not feel at all friendly 
toward him. I was full of curiosity to know all about 
how they had got along, yet hated to admit that I felt 
enough interest in them to inquire. At last I mus- 
tered the courage and inquired in this way : 

“Well, as we have nothing to talk about but our- 
selves, you might tell me your experience since I left 
you.” 

Charlie sat still for some minutes, then said : 

“ The first that I knew of the row that you had with 
the Commodore, was the next morning after you left. 
I knew that they had robbed you when they brought in 
your provisions, but did not know that you were there 
at the time. I supposed they had taken advantage of 
your temporary absence. Next morning, after break- 
fast, I strolled down to see you, as I missed you from 
your work, and judge of my astonishment when I 
found your camp entirely deserted. I returned to the 
house and told them that you had fled, and taken all 
your furniture, including your goats. Then we all went 
down to your camp and examined it, and tried to make 
out which way you had gone. This we discovered by 
your tracks, but did not follow further than to find 
that you had passed the west end of the swamp. We 
therefore concluded that you had gone to the south 
side. The women were very angry with the Commo- 
dore; but he has never told the particulars of the 


142 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


tremble, so they do not know that a quarrel of any 
serious kind took place. The Commodore told me 
he thought he had got even with you, and this led me 
to presume that you had a big row, if not a fight. 
Well, our trouble began the same day, for the fire was 
out when we discovered your departure. To start a 
fire, I whittled splinters of wood and gathered dry 
leaves and then attempted to strike fire with a flint on 
my knife. I worked a long time before I succeeded 
in getting a spark to catch the leaves, and the fire 
went out several times after the leaves smoked. I 
blew and worked until my breath and my patience 
were both exhausted, and I then threw up the job. 
Herbert tried his hand at it, and after some time 
succeeded in getting a fire started. We gathered 
wood, and kept it going for some days, when, through 
neglect it went out again, and we have had to kindle it 
a dozen or more times since. Sometimes we would 
let it go for two or three days without kindling at all, 
and then make a set-to and keep it going for several 
days or weeks. Now we keep leaves and kindling 
near the fire, so that they are very dry, and it is not so 
difficult getting the fire started. The cooking is some- 
times diabolical. Sometimes it is half burned up, 
sometimes half raw. We forget to put salt in it one 
time, and put too much in at another. We have 
broken so many of the pots and plates that we 
have not enough left to hold our food or eat from. 
The women are utterly incapable of doing anything, 
and our gallantry will not allow us to complain. So 
we do our best to wait on them ; but it is a great bur- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


143 


den to us, and especially to me, upon whom most of 
the work of providing falls. Herbert will fuss about 
cooking for Miss Annie and will try to please her; 
but is not willing to go out to bring the food. I visit 
your fish trap about every other day; but latterly it 
does not catch many, as the sand has so filled it up 
that the depression does not amount to much, and 
often I go over to find it empty. At first it caught an 
abundance of fish ; in fact, we were tired of them ; but 
now we would like more of that kind of food. I think 
the sand could be shoveled out of the trap if we had a 
shovel, and enough muscle ; but we have no shovel, 
and I fear the muscle would fail if we had one. We 
built a fire near to the house, but could not keep it 
going as well as we could in your furnace; conse- 
quently we keep it in the furnace now, so as to be able 
to keep it going ; although it is very inconvenient, on 
account of its great distance from the ho^se. Since 
the bad weather set in we find it quite impossible to 
use it at all, on many of the most stormy days. We 
have quit going to the big hill to look for a sail, as we 
have a good veiw from the hill back of the house, and 
the women go to it every day when the weather is fine. 
Herbert goes over to the hill with Annie whenever he 
can get away, and hangs around making love to her. 
I think he might give more attention to providing 
food, and less to courting. I am really imposed upon 
to the point of my endurance, and I often feel like 
making a firm strike. Herbert is too selfish, and 
Annie is too good-natured and thoughtless. She 
could not muster enough courage to tell him that he 


144 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


should render more assistance to me, and so the thing 
goes on. Both the women and Herbert have been 
sick since you left, with symptoms of fever. Annie 
was quite low for a couple of weeks, but we took to 
your remedy, the tea, and they got better in a few days. 
I believe that tea is a perfect antidote to fever; but 
since you left we have had no milk, and we have quit 
using it as a beverage. We have all missed the milk 
and cheese more than anything else. The women 
especially complain of this loss ; they w r anted to come 
to you many times; but neither Herbert nor the Com- 
modore would consent, and so we have all endured as 
best we could. But why should I repeat all this 
misery ? ” 

I made no reply to his description, for I did not 
know what to say. 


CHAPTER XV. 


Charlie asks to live with me — My refusal, and my rea- 
sons — The storm — The wild goats tamed — My inven- 
tion for cloth-making — A bad ft but a useful garment. 

C HARLIE sat in a very thoughtful mood for a 
while, and then said, “I want to ask you a 
straight question. Will you let me come and live with 
you?” 

“Why do you ask this?” 

“ Because we are not getting on at all, and we are 
all in the same plight. The Commodore and Herbert 
are afraid of you and they dare not come, and they do 
not want the women to come. I have put up with 
things as they are there as long as I can stand it, and 
although it is very humiliating, I have come to you. 
I don’t know what they did to you the day you left 
the camp, beyond stealing your food, but I know that 
they were capable of doing anything ; for the fact is, 
the Commodore is little short of a brute. He rules 
and directs and orders the whole of us around, and 
Herbert and I have to do all the work. He sits with 
the air of a proprietor and takes the best of all that is 
provided, and grumbles because it is not better, but 
provides nothing himself. I have brought nearly 


146 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


every stick of wood to the camp that has been brought 
since you left. I have killed every kid that has been 
eaten except two, and the cooking and preparing have 
nearly all fallen to my lot. I don’t so much mind the 
work, but I hate to be ordered about as if it were my 
duty to do it. Then, when it is all done, it is tough 
living. We have not rice enough to carry us through 
until next year’s crop, and if we have to stay on 
the island another two or three months, we will be 
without it. While the weather was fine we were not 
so badly off, but now it is very disagreeable. The 
women never having had to cook or keep house don’t 
know how to do anything, and we have a strange time 
of it. Then our clothes. Look at mine. The rest 
are as bad, and the women are no better off. We 
don’t know how to tan the skins, nor how to make 
the clothes if the skins were tanned. The fact is, I 
don’t know what we can do unless we go naked. You 
must help me, and let me come to you. I cannot 
stand it any longer, and I would rather be your ser- 
vant than the Commodore’s.” 

“Charlie, I feel sorry for you and I feel sorry for 
the women; but I can do nothing for you. Three 
times have I left you and I have never gone back. 
Each time you have followed me up and each time 
entirely from selfish motives. Had I been dying or 
starving, not one of you would have turned a hand to 
help me. I never needed your help but once, and 
then through risking my life to save yours, and while 
I lay at the bottom of the cliff where we landed none 
of you turned to help me. When I lay in the little 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


147 


gully nearly dead you all robbed me of my food and 
drink, and the Commodore brutally assaulted me. 
Not one of you had a sympathizing word to speak to 
me. When you were lame from your cut and the 
others were sick, and you found that I had procured 
shelter and food, and could be used to serve you, you 
all came to my hut, and I waited on you and nursed 
you back to health ; but not one of you stood by me 
as against the abuse of the Commodore. When you 
came to me, where your camp now stands, and begged 
me to go and help nurse the whole company, I 
extorted promises as to the future, for I mistrusted 
you all. I then went and helped you and afterward 
built you houses and brought you to my camp. How 
did you keep your promises ? You all imposed on me, 
made a lackey of me, refused me the pleasure of the 
only society that this lonely island affords, and the 
Commodore and Herbert finished it by robbing and 
beating me in a most brutal way. You have all 
proved yourselves haughty, ungrateful and cruel. 
No, I will never put myself in your power again. 
You were all angry when the Captain of the ‘Watch- 
word’ put me into your boat; had he not done so, 
your company would have been on this island without 
me. Now imagine that I was not in your boat, that 
I am not on the island, that your company of five 
were all that landed, and set to and do as you would 
then have done. There is no reason why you should 
not do as well as I. Everything is as much at your 
service as it is at mine. Go back and make the best 
of it. I am now living in peace ; to allow any of you 


148 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


to come to me would lay a sure foundation for the 
destruction of that peace. I cannot afford to have my 
quiet way of getting along broken up, and I am not 
willing to make any more sacrifices. I will be glad to 
have you visit Ine whenever you please, and I will 
gladly show you how to do anything that you don’t 
understand.” 

Charlie sat looking at the ground, a picture of mis- 
ery, with his long, uncombed hair hanging over his 
shoulder, and with his dirty, ragged clothing hanging 
on his emaciated frame. It was some time before he 
could control himself to speak. Then rising to go, he 
said, “ It was a bitter pill to swallow to come and ask 
you, but it is swallowed, and it is bitterer in the belly 
than it was in the mouth. I will say farewell ; it is 
the last time I will so humble myself.” 

I replied as cheerily as possible, “ Cheer up a bit, 
Charlie, and things will not look as black as they do 
now.” 

Charlie never turned to look back as he strode away 
and was soon lost to sight amongst the trees and 
bushes. I sat and looked after his retreating figure 
for how long I do not know, before I could begin to 
think. Then I questioned myself whether I had done 
right in refusing to let him come, and I believe my 
conscience approved of my action. Had he shown 
himself considerate toward me at the old camp, he 
would have helped me in every possible way, and in 
every work that I undertook for the service of the com- 
pany. I felt sure that in his heart he was willing to 
do this, but was influenced by the Commodore, who 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


149 


no doubt discouraged him as well as the others from 
either helping me or associating with me. The Com- 
modore’s opinion of me was that I was born a servant, 
and so must be kept a servant and not allowed to get 
above my position, by either familiarity or relaxation of 
discipline. The others may have shared this opinion, 
but if they did not voluntarily reach the same conclu- 
sion, they were sufficiently influenced by the .stronger 
mind of the Commodore to accept of it. I imagined 
I could always hear in the ladies’ voices and see in 
their manner toward me that patronizing air that 
would say, “ Now there is a good fellow,” and it used 
to make me grate my teeth. 

When I found that the entire company had reached 
the point that as their servant it was my duty to do all 
the work, and allow them to enjoy all the comfort, I 
decided that the time had come to strike; and the 
failure of the men to help me to move the logs to build 
my house, was the last straw in the burden. I was 
glad to be away from them, and I determined that no 
matter what came I would not again place myself in 
bondage. 

On the night following Charlie’s visit to me there set 
in a storm that continued almost without cessation for 
six days. It rained almost continuously, and blew 
more or less violently all the while. Sometimes the 
rain would subside to a drizzle and then for a few 
hours it would almost cease, giving hope of clearing, 
but scudding clouds would fly ominously across the 
sky and presently would send down their contents in 
drifting torrents. The roar of the sea was like perpet- 


150 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

ual thunder, and the very island seemed to rock with 
the terrific force of the waves. I was kept inside my 
house almost the whole of the time, and was greatly 
put about to know what to do to drive away that terri- 
ble feeling of loneliness that would creep over me. I 
regretted that I had not allowed Charlie to come to 
me; he would have helped me keep up my courage, 
which was all but exhausted. Several times I found a 
refractory tear standing in my eye. 

The goats gathered in their pen and stamped and 
bleated and pushed each other, scarcely going out 
long enough to feed. They had made some acquain- 
tances amongst the wild goats, and these often came 
around and fed with them and sometimes entered their 
pen, but always kept at a distance when I was mov- 
ing about, although they were not greatly afraid of me. 
After the storm had raged for a couple of days, these 
wild goats came to the camp and took possession of a 
part of the pen, and made themselves so much at 
home that they soon crowded it so full that my goats — 
having become partly civilized, gentler in their man- 
ners, and not so persistent — were actually crowded out. 
Then I would interfere, and at my near approach, these 
wild ones would scamper off a few rods, turn and look 
at me, and bleat impatiently until I returned to my 
house and then would rush back to the shelter, and 
very soon my goats would be bleating at my door. I 
did not wish to frighten the wild goats, as I thought it 
would be well to tame them and add some to my dairy, 
so in dispossessing them I did it with as much gentle- 
ness as possible. They found that I had no inten- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 5 I 

tion of hurting them, and some of them soon refused 
to leave at my approach. I determined, as soon as the 
storm subsided, (o enlarge my shed accommodations 
and let them all take up their quarters in the pen. This 
I did, and some of them never left me. Wherever they 
might roam to during the day night was sure to bring 
them back to the fold. Some of them became very 
tame, others were wilder; but none of them were so 
wild that I could not at any time have caught them 
with a noose or lasso. 

During the prolonged storm, I began to try to invent 
a spinner and loom, with which to convert the wild 
hemp into cloth, out of which to make clothing for 
myself and the ladies — for I felt particularly sorry 
that they should lack clothing — even though they 
deserved nothing from me. This was no easy matter, 
for I never saw spinning or weaving done, except once 
or twice when I had visited large factories. I had 
taken no particular notice of the mechanical work, and 
so I retained very imperfect ideas of how it was done. 
I thought of many plans, some of which seemed prac- 
ticable enough, if I had had the tools to carry out the 
designs ; others lacked the probabilities of success 
and had to be abandoned. I finally thought of the 
crochet hook ; why had I not thought of this before. 
I could easily make one of hard wood with my pocket- 
knife, or better still, I could cut one out of the gam- 
bril sinew of a goat, and when thoroughly dried, it 
would wear well, and no doubt work well. I could 
spin the hemp with my fingers and hook it in as I 
twisted it, and although it would be an exceedingly 


152 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


slow process, that would not matter, as it would give 
me employment, and help to pass the time that hung 
so heavily on my hands, especially in bad weather. 
The goat-sinew hook could not be made and ready 
for some time, but the wooden one could be made in 
a few minutes, so I set to work, and it was not very 
long before I had started to weave, or hook, or crochet 
a shirt. 

I don’t know that I shall succeed in describing very 
intelligently how I did it. I began at the back of the 
neck, and made a chain that would reach half way 
around the neck, then every row I would widen it a 
stitch at either end, and kept on in this way until when 
it was about three inches wide it would reach from the 
tip of one shoulder to the tip of the other, and make 
a sort of yoke covering the back of my neck. I then 
kept it at that width until it was wide enough to reach 
a few inches below my shoulders. I then made two 
half yokes for the front, corresponding with the one for 
the back, and when they were finished I hooked the 
tops together on the shoulders, fastened the front half 
yokes together at the bottom corners and the front 
and back yokes together under the arms. I now had 
the upper part of my garment complete, except the 
collar, and I set to work to make the body, after 
which the sleeves and collar would finish it up. 

This was not a very large thing that I looked at 
with so much pride at the end of about four days’ 
steady work, but it was an earnest of what was to be 
done. A woman accustomed to work of this kind 
would have done it all in a few hours ; but then I had 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


153 


yet to become handy at my work, and I had also to 
spin and put the twist into my hemp yarn, besides 
which I was kept constantly picking out the little 
pieces of woody fibre from the yarn. The garment 
would feel rough enough at best, but if these sharp 
little pieces were left in, it would be little less than 
torture to wear it; so I had to be very particular in 
this respect. 

I put on this much of my garment over my goat- 
skin suit, pulled it together at the neck, cast my eye 
over my shoulder to discover the fit, and wished for a 
mirror. I presume that it was better that I did not 
possess a luxury of this kind, for so far as I could take 
it in with these glances, I was not greatly flattered; 
but what did it matter? This was the beginning of a 
new industry on the island, and one that was likely to 
grow and extend to the other settlement. I was its 
originator — its inventor and patentee — and I felt 
proud of it. What was to hinder the ladies from mak- 
ing and repairing their garments in this way? They 
surely understood how to use the hook or crochet 
needle, and it would give them employment, while it 
would clothe them, which was the most important 
consideration. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


A beautiful morning — A sail — My excitement — I wave 
wildly — Appearance of my fellow-captives — Our use- 
less exertions — The sail fades away — Our despair. 

HE storm had subsided, the morning opened 



A beautifully, the sun rose rich and red, a cool 
gentle breeze was wafted across our little island and I 
felt like an uncaged bird. I must go out and take in 
the fresh air, have a look at the world and view the 
sea, the sound of whose waves, not yet stilled, could be 
heard on the shore. I took a hurried breakfast, and 
started out with axe and staff for my look-out. The 
sun was about an hour high, and the air was so clear 
that I almost imagined that I could see to the ends of 
the earth. I took a hurried look out to sea in every 
direction, but saw nothing. Then I stood taking a 
searching sweep, peering into the distance carefully, 
beginning in my search in the southeast and carrying it 
to the south and on to the west. Some trees cut off 
my view for a little, and then the clear sea was seen 
again to the west and northwest. As I was looking in 
a spot about west-northwest of where I was standing, 
my heart almost stood still. Could it be possible? 
No; it was but a sea fowl or a small cloud not larger 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


155 


than a man’s hand. A mist came over my eyes, I 
could not see. I wiped my eyes and looked again; 
it was still there. Surely it was a sail. If I were only 
on the large hill I could see more distinctly, as it 
would give me a range of more than one hundred feet 
higher than I had. I would not wait a moment. 
Starting on a run, I never stopped until I had reached 
my house. Hurriedly seizing two tanned goat skins 
and a pole that lay near by, I ran toward the moun- 
tain, as I called it. I tied the leg part of the skins 
together as I went, as fast as I could, for my breath 
was too much gone to run any further ; then with some 
strings I tied the two corners of the skins to the pole, 
and long before I reached the top of the hill I had a 
flag fastened to a pole, ready to wave out in the 
morning sun. 

Puffing, panting and perspiring, I began the ascent. 
What if, after all, it was not a sail ? What if it were 
but a small white cloud hovering over the horizon ? 
What if it were but a misty delusion gathered on my 
over-strained and anxious eyes? What if it were a sail 
and so far away that the ship’s look-out could not see 
me? It would sail away and leave us to deeper 
despair! Why had I allowed myself to become so 
excited? The blood went rushing through my head 
until I could hear its flow most distinctly at every 
throb of my heart. I tried to collect myself and calm 
my feelings. I tried to argue that if it were a ship it 
could not get out of sight for some time, as the gentle 
wind now blowing could not carry it more than two or 
three knots an hour ; but I did not succeed in over- 


56 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


coming the excitement. Presently I reached a point 
on the hill-side where I could get a view of the sea. 
Yes ! There it was still, a sail sure enough. I waved 
the flag above my head and ran for the hill-top. I 
fell and bruised myself; I sprang up and ran again. I 
fell again ; I arose and waved the flag and shouted 
with all my strength. Then I began to try and think 
how I was acting. I could scarcely walk, so exhausted 
was I from real excitement. I made a firm resolve to 
be calm. At length I reached the top of the hill, 
more dead than alive. I stood and waved the flag. 
Then I thought that I might reach the highest point, 
so that my moving form would have the sky for a 
background. This I did, and waved my flag to and 
fro until I was nearly ready to faint. There was the 
sail, a little speck on the horizon, moving slowly 
southward, and I imagined receding from sight, 
although this might be only from the increasing light 
of day narrowing my vision. 

Oh, how anxiously I watched that white speck! 
What a chill crept over me as I felt certain it was 
growing less visible! How I prayed for strength to 
wave my flag more vigorously! What a time of sus- 
pense ! Who can conjure up to themselves the sensa- 
tions that filled me and moved me between hope and 
fear ? 

I don’t think that up to this moment I had given a 
thought to my companions. I don’t believe there was 
room enough in my brain for another thought but the 
one that crowded all others out. I had no idea 
whether I had been five minutes or an hour waving 








A 


















/ 






A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


57 


that flag on that hill, for I had not thought of time, 
when my attention was attracted by a noise near me, 
and puffing and panting, much as I had done, Charlie 
came rushing up to me, just able to gasp out, “A 
sail ! A sail ! ” He partly sat down and partly fell 
on the rock at my feet. 

By dint of will effort I was overcoming my excite- 
ment. This was becoming easier as I was becoming 
convinced that the sail was receding, and hope was 
beginning to die. I, however, continued to use all my 
strength in waving the flag to and frb, and kept my 
eye fixed on that small and diminishing white spot. 

Charlie lay still, thoroughly exhausted for some time; 
perhaps he had fainted. I do not know; I had no 
time to think of him, so intent was I watching that 
sail. Presently I heard him ask, “Is she coming? 
Do they see us?” And then he cried out, “Oh, 
shout, shout loud. My God, I fear they do not see 
us ! Wave the flag harder. Shout, shout with all 
your might.” Then he lay down entirely overcome. 

Herbert next made his appearance in a great state 
of excitement, and acted quite as incoherently as 
Charlie had done. The Commodore, with a face like 
the sun, came puffing up after Herbert. He could 
hardly breathe, his sides went out and in at each suc- 
cessive breath, causing his arms to move, until he 
appeared as if he were about to try to fly. Reaching 
us, he turned and took one look at the sail, and then 
turning to me, he forced out amidst froth and steam in 
a tone between a hiss and a grunt, “Here you, sir; 
wave that flag harder!” I stopped waving the flag 


i5« 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


altogether and gave him a look of utmost scorn and 
contempt, but did not vouchsafe a single word. He 
saw that he had made a mistake, excited as he was, 
and turned and walked off to a little distance and sat 
down on a stone and looked at the sail. 

These distractions of thought had the effect of cool- 
ing my brain; I was beginning to grow quite delib- 
erate. I saw that the sail was slowly fading in the 
distance, moving in a southwesterly direction. I was 
convinced that we were not seen and that every 
moment made our chances less. I was in that state 
of hopelessness that I was in no humor for any con- 
versation, much less for any crossing. A very little 
thing would have made me very angry, and I did not 
want anything to occur to cause a disturbance, so I 
neither made remark, nor noticed any of the remarks 
that were being made by the others, who had now begun 
to discuss matters. 

They had not seen the sail before reaching the hill. 
Charlie, who was the first to turn out of bed in the 
morning, had looked toward the hill and seen me mov- 
ing the flag, and felt sure that I had discovered a sail. 
He shouted to the others that there was a sail and that 
I was waving a flag on the hill, then ran with all 
his speed to where I was. The others had sprung 
from their beds and followed, and the ladies were com- 
ing as fast as their, strength would allow. Of course, 
when they first saw the sail at such .a great distance, 
and did not know whether it was approaching or reced- 
ing, they were full of hope, which I did not wish to 
destroy. Not being in a state of mind to consider the 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


159 


exercise that I had undergone within the past two 
hours, they thought I ought to make the flag go like 
the wings of a wind-mill. They could not understand 
why I was acting so leisurely. They had not seen my 
first efforts, nor had they seen the figure I cut in get- 
ting to the hill-top. 

Each one on arriving wanted to do some ridiculous 
thing, just as I had done. The women waved their 
ragged handkerchiefs and shouted, so they could have 
been heard almost ten rods away. They both danced 
around and cried and tried to shout, until they both 
fell down completely overcome, and then cried and 
sobbed as if their hearts would break, and beat the 
air with their hands, making the most painful contor- 
tions of face and body. From pure sympathy I soon 
found the tears rolling freely down my cheeks. This 
softened the hard lump in my breast, and asking Char- 
lie, who was now somewhat recovered, to take the flag 
and wave it, I went to them and tried to divert their 
attention. I was only partially successful ; but I began 
to reason with them that the wind was very light and 
if the vessel were sailing straight for us it would take 
it several hours to reach us, and we would have plenty 
of time in which to get ready to leave the island. It 
was, however, so far away at present that it was not 
likely they would see us until they got nearer, for we 
would be quite invisible to the naked eye and unless 
they happened to turn a glass on us they would not 
discover us. Little by little the excessive excitement 
began to wear out, and then one after another would 
express the conviction that the sail was going away 


160 A REAL ROBINSON CRJSOE. 

from us. This helped to kill the excitement more 
than anything else. I had found this in my own case, 
and now that I realized that the ship was leaving us, 
my excitement was dead, and a lonely, sad, regretful 
feeling was taking its place. I knew that very soon 
this revulsion would take place in their minds, and I 
feared for the consequences, with the two women. 
They were nearly demented from the excitement — 
would not the consequent despair complete the work? 
Nothing but tears would save them. If they were at 
the house, a copious flow of tears followed by a sound 
sleep, would bring them around all right ; but here on 
the hill, where they would persist in staying while the 
sail was in sight, and in the hot sun, I feared the con- 
sequences. So I advised, without avail, that they 
return and eat their breakfasts, and we would let them 
know if the ship changed its course in our direction. 

The sun climbed higher and higher, and grew hot- 
ter and hotter as the speck of a sail grew smaller and 
smaller. At length, about eleven o’clock, those with 
weaker sight began to miss it altogether, and half an 
hour later none of us could discern a single speck of 
the canvas that had so filled us with hope a few hours 
earlier in the day. 

Perhaps some of the mariners on. that ship — should 
this fall under their eye — may remember sighting 
land on that beautiful morning, after that prolonged 
storm in the latitude of our lonely island. They little 
knew then the emotions of hope and despair the sight 
of their sail caused the little group of castaways. 

The tears flowed from all our eyes. The women 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. l6l 

gave way to wailing, and a more sorrowful or despair- 
ing company the world never saw. I rose slowly 
from the rock on which I was seated and gathered up 
my goat-skin flag and my pole, and in a subdued voice 
I bade them all good-by and began the descent. 
Turning to look, after going a short distance, I saw 
them in the act of preparing to leave. The women 
were being helped by the men, and by their demeanor 
I knew they were still weeping. I cast one sad glance 
at the sea and then started down che hill, my heart 
aching within me. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


After the excitement — The basin — Exploration — The 
cross on the grave — The button — My tailoring — Fish- 
ing with hook and line — Outwitted by a fish — Experi- 
ence teaches . 

RRIVING at my camp, I took a drink of milk 



f~\ and at once retired to my bed, exhausted and 
sick at heart. It was some time before I could fall 
asleep, but I eventually succeeded, and when I awoke 
it was past four o’clock. I felt greatly rested and 
refreshed, although the effects of my great disappoint- 
ment had not yet entirely left me. 

I. arose and bathed my face and head and took 
something to eat ; but a restless feeling was upon me ; 
and I could not settle down either to work or think, 
and so I strolled out toward the sea. 

The south shore was precipitous and rocky, and as 
there was nothing to invite inspection along it, I never 
had the curiosity to examine it from any nearer point 
than the ridge, the highest point of which served me 
as my look-out. But to-day I was not guided by curi- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


63 


osity, necessity, nor so far as I can judge by any 
motive at all. My nerves had been strung to their 
utmost tension, and the relaxation left me restless and 
impatient. I wanted motion ; but I did not want any 
object in my motion, and so I just strolled on leis- 
urely, thoughtlessly and indifferently. I reached the 
precipitous rock that formed the abrupt shore of the 
island, and stood looking out to sea, not thinking of 
anything in particular. Then I started to walk along 
the broken brow of this rock. I had not gone far 
when I heard a sound of the sea as if beating under 
an overhanging rock or into a small cavern. Follow- 
ing this sound I soon came to a place where there was 
a crevice in the rock not more than eight feet wide at 
the outlet, but which widened to fully fifty feet further 
in, and was more than a hundred feet from the 
entrance to the back end. The water had worn out 
the sides below at the entrance or fissure to this cove, 
to more than twice the width that it was higher up 
and above the water mark. The fissure at the top of 
the rock was not more than three feet wide, and I 
could conveniently step across it. The rock ran down 
almost perpendicularly to this basin at the end next to 
the sea ; but grew more sloping farther back. At the 
farther end it appeared as if the fissure extended back 
for some distance, gradually growing shallower and 
narrower to the top, forming a very convenient, but 
rough path down to the water’s edge. 

I walked around and examined this singular little 
basin thoroughly, for I thought it might be very use- 
ful to me in time to come. I had often wished for a 


164 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


boat in which to go out to sea in calm weather and 
fish, and one of the difficulties that my calculations 
had met was how to launch it and where to keep it? 
This seemed to meet that difficulty, for although it 
would be impossible to go out through that narrow pas- 
sage when the sea was rolling in, it would be easy 
enough when it was calm, and that was the only time 
I would ever want to go out. I had often thought of 
leaving the island in a boat of my own making, but 
before I would trust myself at sea in a boat, I would 
like to try its seagoing qualities well, and this little 
harbor would enable me to do this. I could draw my 
boat up the inclined fissure, at the end of the cove, 
out of the reach of the waves and leave it safely, and 
when I wanted to launch it, push it down into the 
comparatively still water. I looked upon this discov- 
ery as a very fortunate one. I had been within 
eighty rods of this place often, but had no idea of its 
existence. 

I descended to the water’s edge and looked down 
into its depths, and made out that the water was 
deeper inside the basin than it was at its mouth. I 
concluded there must be fish in its waters lying com- 
fortably in its deep places in the shadows of the rocks, 
but they could only be caught by hook and line. 
How was I to conjure up this out of my scant stock 
of material ? I would return to my camp and see if 
I could invent any plan for a hook. The line could 
be easily made out of my hemp. 

The evening was drawing on when I returned to 
camp. I soon had my goats milked and my supper 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


165 


eaten. Then I went to bed, after the most exciting 
experiences of my life. It «vas some time before I 
fell asleep; I lay speculating as to what I would do in 
reference to many things, but the only definite conclu- 
sion that I reached was to thoroughly explore every foot 
of the surface of the island, and see if anything 
could be found to contribute to our comforts. Up to 
within the last few weeks I had been so busy doing 
the many things that necessity demanded that I could 
not conveniently spare a moment to investigate our 
surroundings, but now I determined to spend a part 
of each day, when the weather would permit, in spying 
out every foot of land and examining all its produc- 
tions. By and by I fell into a restless sleep; a sleep 
full of dreams of all fantastic kinds, but in most of 
which a rescuing party played a prominent part — 
always without success. At length the morning 
dawned; I turned out before the sun was up and 
soon had my morning work done and was ready for 
any undertaking that I might determine on for the 
day. I was still slightly under the influences of the 
excitement of yesterday, and was utterly unfit for any 
close application. I could not have worked on my 
shirt, or spun a line with which to catch fish, or made a 
fish-hook, or any such work, so I decided that it must 
either be a ramble or I must take my axe and extend my 
goat-pen. I finally decided to go to my look-out, and 
after having examined the sea carefully, “looking for a 
sail,” I would decide what to do. 

I always carried my axe and a staff with me in my 
rambles, so that if I required them I would have them 


1 66 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

convenient. So taking up these implements, I started 
for the look-out. There'was nothing to be seen, so I 
strolled down to the cove I had discovered the previous 
day, and starting from that point, examined the shore 
carefully to the westward. I found the same irregu- 
lar formation for fully a mile. In one place I discov- 
ered another cove, smaller and deeper at the mouth, 
and I found where the rock was undermined by the 
sea, and through a narrow crevice about fifty feet back 
from the shore, I could both hear and see, the water 
moving to and fro. I presume it was these and other 
places of the same sort, that made such a frightful 
sound when the sea was angry, and made me fancy 
sometimes that the island trembled. 

It was approaching noon when I returned to my 
house, built a fire and cooked a good meal; which 
a good appetite helped me to despatch with zest. 

“ How shall I spend the rest of the day ? ” This was 
the question that I asked myself, and this is how I 
answered it : “I will go to the grave of the unknown 
and build a monument over it more enduring than the 
frail cross erected by his companions.” 

I left my camp in a straight line for the old hut on 
the west end of the island, and reached it in about 
half an hour. I found things exactly as I had left 
them. The little cross was as I had placed it over 
the grave, and the remains of the old hut as I had 
thrown them about. I carried stones and made a 
monument out of them about three feet high. I took 
my knife and cut rudely into the little cross on one 
side — 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


167 


This Cross 
was found 
lying on this 

grave, by one of a party of 
six who were cast on this 
island from the wreck of 
the “Watch- 
word.” It 
was re- 
erected by 
him as an 
act of Chris- 
tian sympathy. 

On the reverse side I cut in larger letters — 


To the 


memory of the 


unknown 


dead. 


I planted this securely in the top of the stones and 
placed them against it in such a way that it could not 
possibly fall until rotted entirely away. 

I then went to the site of the old hut and removed 
most of the remaining logs, and with a sharpened 
stick, scraped and hunted through the mould and 


i68 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


dirt to find, if even so much as a pin, what was left 
behind. I. succeeded in finding an old horn button, 
such as I have seen sailors and navvies wear on their 
trousers. As these buttons are of English manufac- 
ture, I inferred that the men who spent some time on 
this island were English sailors. I continued my 
search, and was rewarded by finding a man’s heavy, 
plain gold ring. On the inside the letters E. H. were 
engraved in a very rough way, as if done by an 
apprentice engraver. It was well worn, and had no 
doubt been the prized property of some hard-working 
mariner, who greatly deplored the loss. 

Did they succeed in getting to some inhabited coun- 
try? Are any of them alive at the present time? 
Will this ever meet the eye of any one of them or any 
one to whom their story has been told, and if so, will 
he recognize the spot where they spent their lonely 
months and buried their dead companion ? 

The day was now so far spent that I had to return 
to my camp, but determined to continue my search at 
a future time. 

I slept better after this busy day, and arose to find 
the sky looking very threatening ; so after breakfast I 
made an addition to my goat pen. Before it was fin- 
ished a gale came on, and we had another siege of 
several days of bad weather, during which I worked 
away at my shirt and made very good progress. 

When the weather was sufficiently calm for me to go 
out with comfort, I continued my explorations, but 
discovered nothing of particular interest to me along 
the whole south side of the island. In bad weather I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


169 


worked at my shirt until it was finished. I then com- 
menced to make a pair of trousers. I was in no hurry 
with these things, for at this time of the year, 
when the weather was much cooler than in the sum- 
mer, the goat-skin clothes were not so uncomfortable; 
but now that 1 was able to make them and had got 
them so far advanced, I would be prepared for the 
return of the dry season. 

I had made a good strong line nearly fifty feet long, 
with which I intended to try to catch fish. The next 
thing to make was the hook. This taxed my inge- 
nuity; at last I struck upon a plan that I thought 
favorable, and began at once to carry it out. 

I took the small leg bone of a kid, and broke it off 
angling, and then rubbed it upon the stone I used to 
sharpen my axe upon, and ground it until the point 
was very sharp. I flattened it on the opposite side 
from the point near the other end, so that when this 
flat side was put against a reed, the sharp point would 
stand off at an angle of about twenty-five degrees. I 
got a piece of reed about a foot long and half an inch 
through. I flattened one side of the reed a little near 
one end, to correspond with the flat part of the bone, 
and cut little niches in the opposite side. I took a 
coarse-edged, flinty stone and rubbed corresponding 
niches in the outside of the bone, and then with 
strong, thin fibres of hemp, tied the bone firmly to the 
reed. This made quite a formidable hook; but it 
lacked a beard, which I was not able to add, conse- 
quently I expected that a good number of the fish that 
took it would succeed in getting off again before being 


A REAL ROBINSON CRJSOE. 


170 


landed; still I hoped that once in a while one wonld 
be brought to shore. I fastened this reed very firmly 
upon the end of my line, caught a few small frogs for 
bait, and set out for the cove to try my tackle. I 
placed a frog on the hook, threw it into the water and 
let it sink. I was standing on the outside of the cove 
near the outlet, and between twenty and thirty feet 
above the water. The rock on which I stood pro* 
jected over the water and I could see into it to a con- 
siderable depth. 

I did not get a bite, and began to draw up slowly 
and watch it. Presently I saw several large fish swim- 
ming around and apparently investigating it. One 
of them would approach so close as to almost touch 
it with his nose, then move off; then another would 
try it, and act very much in the same way. I kept 
raising it higher and higher, and they followed it up. 
I was greatly interested in watching them. They evi- 
dently did not know whether frog was healthy fish 
food or not, for it is not likely any of them had ever 
tried it. By and by it reached the surface, and they 
watched it while it dangled in the air as I drew it up 
hand over hand. I coiled my line like a sailor, took 
the end in my hand and then swung out the bait to 
the full length of the line, and it went, with a chuck 
into the water and sank. I began again to slowly 
draw it in, and intently watch the fish. One of them 
took a careful hold of the bait, when another larger 
one moved up hurriedly, in a threatening way, as 
much as to say, “ Hold, there ; if that is good to eat I 
will take it myself.” The first fish swam away quickly, 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. \J\ 

and the larger one took a circuit around, as much as 
to say to the others, “ Now all of you stand back and 
see how I will devour this new kind of food.” He 
gave a whirl and a dart, and caught the bait and 
devoured it at a gulp. I gave a slight pull on the 
line, and I presumed his conscience hurt him for not 
sharing such a dainty morsel with the others, for I 
saw a flash, and before I could stir to rescue the end 
of my line there was a whish on the edge of the rock 
and the line was gone. 

I stood and looked into the pool for some time 
in astonishment and then said, “What a fool I am.” 

I had got so interested in watching the fish in their 
careful manner of investigating the bait, that I had 
entirely forgotten to fasten the end of the line to my 
hand. Then I thought again, perhaps it is for the 
best, for if I had had the line fastened to my hand, 
and been leaning over the rock as I was doing, that 
immense fish would certainly have drawn me in. The 
fall to the water would have stunned me, and I would 
have fed the fishes instead of the fishes feeding, me. 

I had learned several things that were of service 
to me, and I felt that I had only paid for my learning. 
This is what everybody has to do in this world. I 
had learned how to make a hook and line, that there 
were fish in the cove, that frogs would do for. bait, and 
that if I would land them I must take better care. 

I returned to my house and set to work to make 
another line and hook. This time my line must be 
at least seventy feet long, then I would tie the end to 
the middle of a strong stick, which I would lay on the 


172 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


rock at some distance from the brink and pile some 
stones on and in front of it, so that it would be impos- 
sible to pull it away. I would .also make a stronger 
line and a larger hook, and bait with larger frogs, for 
some of the fish were larger than I had expected to 
find. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


Portentous signs — The storm — My experience — Investi- 
gating the damage — Herbert's story of disaster — 
Ruin at the old camp — The sufferers — Mrs. Travers' 
request — Rebuilding the house. 

T HE night was coming on, and the sky was assum- 
ing a strange hue and looked to me as if a storm 
was brewing. The frogs croaked in the swamp more 
than I had ever heard them before, and the bleating 
of the wild goats could be distinctly heard in the dis- 
tance. My own goats were restless and followed me 
every step I took about the place. I could not have 
told why, but I had a sort of foreboding of evil, and I 
thought several times over whether everything about 
the place was perfectly secure. I did not feel afraid, 
but some unaccountably strange feeling possessed me. 
I put stones on top of the sods that I covered my fire 
with, and in passing the goat shed I shook it to see if 
it was perfectly secure in case of a violent storm. I 
carried a number of stones and laid them on top of it 
to give it solidity. I felt that everything was as 
secure as I could make it. All my work for the even- 
ing was done before the regular time, and I sat down 
outside the house to wait for the gathering darkness. 


1 74 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


The moon was just climbing above the big hill, and 
I sat watching it. How strange it looked. Such an 
indescribable red it almost frightened me. It seemed 
almost to say, “ I am coming full of terror and woe.” 
Then I began to think of my companions. I had not 
seen any of them since we had parted in great dis- 
appointment on the hill. Perhaps the reaction had 
been too much for them and something had gone 
wrong at their camp. Something seemed to speak to 
me and say, “They are in great trouble there.” I 
had vowed that I would never go to them unasked; 
but had it not been for the lateness of the hour, I 
would have gone at once and broken my vow. The 
moon looked more ominous every minute, and the bleat- 
ing of the goats was coming nearer, until at length 
they began to arrive at my camp and take possession 
of the pen. I felt sure their instincts were driving 
them to shelter from some approaching storm of more 
than an ordinary character. Presently the pen with 
its new addition was full, and other goats that were 
too wild to come near, stood in the distance. By and 
by they moved on eastward, and I began to wonder 
where they were going, when I thought of the large 
hill. If they were on the east side of this and a great 
storm should come, it would afford them shelter. I 
could hear the bleating of the goats on the north side 
of the swamp, as they were evidently moving in the 
same direction and for the same purpose. There cer- 
tainly was a storm coming, such as we had not experi- 
enced. Were we prepared for it? 

Then I thought of all the fallen trees on the island, 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


l 75 


and they told a tale of storms in the past. If we 
should have another such as the one that had torn all 
these trees down, our houses would not stand before 
it. Then for the first time I thought of the west 
verandah to the houses at the other camp, and almost 
trembled. Why did I not think of the possibility of 
these violent storms in the “hurricane season,” as it is 
called in that part of the world ? 

I had cut all the larger trees within a few rods of 
my house for building material; but I had left an 
abundance of shade trees up to thirty or forty feet 
high. These grew all around the house, so that I 
could sit in their shade at any time of day. If they 
were blown down they could do no harm, and my 
house would stand anything short of an earthquake. 
Perhaps, I thought, it is an earthquake that is 
approaching ; but it was not likely, as the goats were 
seeking shelter. 

It was now quite dusk, and the goats had got out of 
hearing ; those in the pen kept stamping, bleating and 
pushing around restlessly. My own goats had joined 
them in the pen ; but none of them seemed disposed 
to rest. 

I tried to compose myself and go to bed, and tried 
to argue with myself that there was no certainty of a 
storm coming, and if a storm, that there was no prob- 
ability of such a one as I feared; but I could not 
allay the feeling, so I decided to sit where I was for 
some time and await developments. The moon looked 
more and more strange, and the air lost none of its 
deathlike stillness and ominous haziness. 


76 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


It must have been near midnight — as the moon, 
nearly at its full, was in midsky — when I fancied 
I heard a roaring noise like distant thunder, which 
seemed to increase. I had been sitting beside the 
door on the east side of the house, and I sprang up 
and stepped beyond the corner to the north and lis- 
tened. My hair fairly rose on end. There came out 
of the far west the most awful roar that ever saluted 
my ears. It seemed to me as if the approaching storm 
would uproot the very hills. There was no help for it. 
I stepped back into my house and opened the door 
wide, and put a block that I used for a seat against it ; 
then I took my stand just inside this open door, ready 
to spring out if the house began to yield, and far 
enough in to be safe from the storm, if it stood the 
shock. 

I was not particularly afraid of death at any time, 
but that storm was filling me with the utmost terror. 
I trembled and my teeth chattered. Nearer and 
nearer came that terrible roar. That villainously 
red moon seemed to wear a demoniacal grin, and 
I fairly fainted with fright at the sight of it. 

Words can no more describe the blow that struck 
my house than they could the crash of a world. I 
only know that the house seemed to have been leveled 
to the ground. The confusion of sounds so blended 
that they seemed one terrific clap of thunder. I have 
a faint recollection of seeing stones flying and a feel- 
ing that the house had fallen on me. When I became 
conscious I found myself on my hands and knees, 
my hands on the ground Outside the door and knees 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


1 77 


inside. The roar was still terrific. The wind filled 
my house through the narrow windows and interstices 
between the unmortared stones, until I felt sure the 
west end must have blown in. The rain was falling in 
torrents and driving through the house in a cloud of 
mist. I was a long time in realizing just where I was, 
and what was the matter. At length I drew myself 
upon my feet, and started to find out how the wind 
and water got into the house. I speedily discovered 
that it all came in through the narrow windows and 
between the stones, and that great as the shock had 
been my house had stood it pretty well. What struck 
me and knocked me senseless I could never find out; 
but I suppose it was fear, imagination and the wind 
from the windows combined. Perhaps if I had had 
my door shut it would not have done it. I felt very 
silly when I was forced to conclude that I had been 
knocked senseless by the wind. 

The storm raged for a long time, I should judge for 
a couple of hours, and then began to subside; the 
wind continuing to blow pretty strong for some hours 
longer. 

The day dawned, and I began to move about, to 
take an inventory of the damage done. The east par- 
apet was blown off my house. Probably the stones 
came down with a crash at the same time I did. The 
stones from the west parapet were scattered over the 
roof. It was no doubt the sound of these falling on 
the bark roof that made such a terrific noise, and gave 
me the impression that the house had fallen. By fall- 
ing on the roof as they did, they helped to prevent the 


i/8 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


roof yielding to the wind. Beyond this the house was 
unhurt. The rain had beaten into my store room 
between the stones, and had wet part of my rice and 
tea, that happened to be uncovered, and some of my 
other food. These would have to be brought out and 
dried. 

Outside, the goat pen had suffered. The new part 
that I had built had partly collapsed, and pinned four 
or five goats fast, either killing them outright or maim- 
ing them so that it became necessary for me to kill 
them to put them out of their misery. My own goats 
had got into the old pen, which fortunately stood 
directly in the lee of the house, thereby escaping 
somewhat the violence of the storm, and by the help 
of the stones that I had laid on top of it, it was able 
to weather the shock. My fire was out, completely 
washed away. The larger trees of the island were 
mowed down like straw before a reaper ; not one of 
them was left standing as far as I could see. The 
smaller ones were badly stripped of their branches, 
which strewed the ground in every direction. The 
storm was the worst that I had ever heard of. 

Although I had not slept a wink during the night, I 
had to begin at once to clear away the wreck. I soon 
despatched the wounded goats, and laid five bodies 
side by side to be skinned. I made some dry kind- 
ling and soon had the fire going again, and water 
warming for the tea. I took a hurried breakfast, 
expecting every minute to receive a visit from the 
other camp, and I wanted to be able to start, in case of 
distress, to help them. I dare hardly think of them, 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


179 


for I could not see how it was possible for them to 
have escaped. If no word reached me by the time my 
breakfast was over, I would go to them. What if they 
were all killed — a not impossible thing — and there 
was no one left to bring me word? Or some of them 
might be wounded and pinned fast by the fallen logs 
of their house. I got so nervous that I stopped 
before I was half through my breakfast and began to 
pack up something to take to them. Milk, cheese, 
rice boiled in milk and a few dainties, were put into 
convenient form for carrying, and I was about to start 
when I heard a step outside, and Herbert appeared at 
the door. He looked very pale and haggard and 
could scarcely speak, so in the kindest tone that I 
could command, I said, “Well, how did you folks 
fare in last night’s storm ? I fear badly. I could not 
rest thinking of you, and was just prepared to start 
over to inquire.” 

“ It was feanul, and the wonder is, that we are not 
all dead. Our house is leveled to the ground ; the 
Commodore is hurt very badly, and perhaps fatally; 
Charlie is wounded, and I am bruised. As for the 
ladies, I would not be surprised if neither of them sur- 
vives, although I cannot make out that either of them 
is wounded seriously ; but the fright and the exposure 
has so prostrated them, that they cannot sit up, and 
they have no place to lie down, except on the damp 
ground.” 

I gave him some of my parcels to carry, and going 
to the fire I took out a couple of brands, and taking 
my axe, we started as fast as possible for the camp. 


180 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

Reaching there, I started a fire at once and put on 
water to heat. I then went to the prostrate house 
and threw some of the logs away from where the bed- 
steads were, and going to some trees I soon secured 
enough small branches to make a soft bed. I went to 
the women, and taking one at a time, carried them 
carefully and laid them on the bed. I then gave them 
each a drink of milk, and cutting a thick bush for 
each, placed it so as to shade the sun from them. 
The water was boiling, and I set some tea to steep, 
and as soon as it was done I made Herbert give them 
each a drink, while I fixed up a comfortable bed for 
both Charlie and the Commodore. I got Herbert to 
feed them, and place bushes over them for shade, and 
I replaced the logs that had blown down over the 
heads of the women. 

The first blow of the wind had lifted the roofs clear 
off the houses, and some of the troughs that formed 
the roof were blown ten rods distant. Then the top 
logs had followed and had blown in all directions, 
some falling in the house and some outside. How 
any of them escaped death is what I could not com- 
prehend. Each of the women was bruised in differ- 
ent places by the falling timber, but no bones were 
broken. It appeared that when the storm struck the 
house, they were in bed, but not asleep; for they 
heard the roaring of the wind, but did not appreciate 
their danger. The first gust lifted the roof and upper 
logs clean, and blew them off. The frightened ladies 
started for the door, thus moving with the moving tim- 
ber, and the lower logs came rolling after and against 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 8 1 

them, bruising them as their wounds showed. The 
east end of the house having blown down, stopped 
their exit, and they crouched down under the fallen 
timber, and any that followed, rolled over them with- 
out touching them. 

The men did much the same ; but one of the falling 
logs struck the Commodore on the shoulder and broke 
it, and another struck him in the side knocking him 
under the logs, where he lay till the fury of the gale 
had abated. How Charlie escaped is a miracle, for 
he was surrounded and covered with timber. One of 
his legs was very badly bruised, and he had several 
bruises on different parts of his body. They had 
been trying to keep up a fire nearer to the house than 
where my old furnace was, and Herbert, hearing the 
storm coming, had hurried out to fix stone around it. 
He had not time to return, and was blown from his 
feet, and lay flat on the earth unable to rise until the 
greatest fury was past. Thus he escaped without any- 
thing more serious than a few slight bruises. 

I told Herbert to get clay and water and poultice 
all the bruises and I would rebuild the houses. The 
logs out of which the houses were built were very dry, 
and I was in much better health than when I first 
built them up. I worked with a will, and before noon 
had them both higher than my head. I suggested 
that it would be just as well not to make them so high 
as they were before by two logs, and this they con- 
sented to. 

We all took our dinners from the provisions I had 
brought over, and then Herbert and I put the roofs on 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


182 


again and had them quite into shape before night. I 
never saw Herbert work so willingly or so well. He 
did whatever I suggested without a murmur and did 
it quickly and with a will, and the work progressed 
most satisfactorily. 

Instead of extending the roof to the west as before 
we extended it to the east, and I told them I would 
show them how to fix their houses, so that a like catas- 
trophe would not occur again. 

I told Herbert to spread his rice and tea to dry, 
or it would be spoiled, and seeing them all as com- 
fortable as possible, I prepared to leave, promising to 
return and help them the next day. 

Before I left Mrs. Travers called me to her side and 
said, “You see we cannot live in this way and in this 
house; will you let us come to you? I know that I 
am asking a great deal and infinitely more than we 
deserve, but we are near the end of things. You see 
our clothes, and you must have some idea of the kind 
of food we have. We are more dead than alive and 
will very soon be dead indeed if something is not done. 
Do put up with us, and my niece and I will do the 
best we can to make things agreeable for you. I think 
these refractory men will listen to reason from us.” 

“Mrs. Travers, none of you are in a condition to 
change now, and when you are I will see what can be 
done to make your lot less hard. But some feasible 
plan will have to be adopted and carried out by all of 
us, and it will be necessary to talk it over. Let things 
remain as they are for the present and I will for a 
time bring you better food than you have been accus- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I8 3 


tomed to, and you will get better. I will return 
to-morrow and help you, and when you are all right 
again we will discuss the future.” 

I took my axe and started for home, and as I passed 
over the fallen dry trees, I thought that the storm that 
we had witnessed was not the first of the kind that 
had visited the island. It taught me that in building, 
these storms must be taken into consideration, and it 
increased my desire to leave the island. 

I reached home, and as soon as I could get my sup- 
per I went to bed and slept soundly until morning. I 
laid out my damp provisions to dry, and packed up 
what I could carry to take to the hospital for the 
wounded. My goats gave very little milk, and I was 
thinking seriously about letting them go unmilked; 
but this accident led me to decide to milk them for a 
few days longer. So taking what milk I could get 
with me, I started out with a stock of provisions suffi- 
cient to last them two or three days. 

After reaching their camp and getting them all fed, 
I cut long poles and laid them one end on the ground, 
about twelve feet from the west side of the house, and 
leaned the other end upon a pole put across the roof 
with props under it at each end on the ground and short 
props under it between these and the ridge standing 
on the roof. I placed eight poles in this leaning posi- 
tion, and then cut other poles and laid them on these 
until the whole was covered from the ground to the 
roof. Short props under the string pieces enabled 
them to hold the weight safely. I then showed Her- 
bert how to build a dry stone wall at each end and 


1 84 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


cover these poles over with a layer of flat stones. I 
told him that when he had done this I would warrant 
his house to stand any wind that ever blew from the 
west, if he would also lay a number of stones on the 
roof to give it solidity. 

The women were doing very nicely, and Charlie had 
attended to his bruises faithfully. The Commodore 
was very restless and taxed Herbert’s patience to the 
utmost ; but Herbert was doing very much better than 
I ever expected him to do. The shock that the storm 
had given him did more to bring him to his senses 
than anything else could have done. 

I left for home, promising to return the day after the 
next, as I had some work to do at home that would 
require one day’s attention. They all seemed dis- 
appointed that I was not going to return the next day; 
but I determined that they should learn to depend 
upon their own efforts more than they were inclined to 
do. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


Progress of the invalids — My fish-lines — Friendlier 
relations — A visit from the ladies — Plans for the 
future — My responsibilities — The goat-paddock — My 
spinning-machine — The “Sailor’s Home.” 



‘HE next morning I repaired my own house, and 


JL in the afternoon, put all the skins I had into 
ashes, and then gathered bark with which to tan them. 
Something had to be done to provide clothing for 
them all, and moccasins for their feet, and the skins 
would be needed for these purposes. The evening I 
spent at my fish line until it was so dark that I could 
not see to work longer. Rising the next morning I 
spent an hour at my line, and then breakfasted and 
started for the other camp. I found the women up 
and helping Herbert to dress the wounds of the two 
invalids. I was glad to see them so engaged and told 
them so, adding, “ If you will try to help each other, 
you will find time fly much more rapidly, and you will 
be both happier and healthier. It is trying to do noth- 
ing and to get others to wait on you that allows you to 
brood over your troubles, and keeps you miserable. 
Try to fill up your time and you will feel much better.” 

I found the women very anxious to discuss the plan 


1 86 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


that I had spoken of for a change. I did not like 
to disappoint them, but told them I had not fully 
matured it yet myself. In a few days we would talk 
it over. While I was at the fire Mrs. Travers came to 
me and said, “ Perhaps we did wrong to open that 
subject in the Commodore’s presence. I did not 
think about that and I beg your pardon.” I said, 
“That’s it. When Charlie gets so that he can walk 
he will come over to my house with you and your 
niece, where I can say what I think.” 

Charlie’s wounds were so much better that he got 
up and sat on a bench, and afterward walked a little 
with the aid of a staff. He said he would be much 
better in a few days. The Commodore was certainly 
very bad and would not be out again for some time. 
I saw that Herbert had done something toward plac- 
ing the stones on the protection wall ; and I told him 
I was glad to see it. 

Before noon I returned home, and during the after- 
noon finished the line and hook and got ready for a 
trial next morning. While I was working at the hook 
and line I had the bark boiling over the fire, to be 
ready for tanning the skins, so that I was really doing 
two things at once. The tan liquor was now ready, 
and the hair was loosened on the skins, and I would 
soon have them completed. 

Next morning I went with the line to the cove, and 
after fastening the end of the line as I had intended, 
I threw the hook. It was nearly half an hour before 
I got a bite, and I succeeded in- landing a very fair- 
sized fish; but I had to carry him to the camp and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1 87 

cut him open before I could get my hook out, he had 
swallowed it so far down. 

I fried a portion of the fish for breakfast and the 
rest I fried to be taken to the other camp. I then 
took out the skins and stripped off the hair and put 
them to soak in clear water to take out the lye of the 
ashes. When this was done I started again to visit 
my neighbors, carrying the fish and other provisions. 

I found Charlie outside exercising himself. Her- 
bert was carrying stones and making his protection 
wall, and the women were outside keeping the others 
company. They were all anxious to have the protec- 
tion completed as soon as possible, for fear another 
storm should come on them. 

I turned in and helped Herbert for a couple of 
hours and then left for my own house to get my din- 
ner. I told them I would not return again, as they 
were all getting on so nicely now. They regretted 
this ; but the ladies said they would visit me as soon 
as Charlie was able to accompany them. 

I had made myself perfectly free and friendly with 
all of them, except the Commodore. I had not spoken 
to him at all, but had directed Herbert in regard to 
the treatment he was to get. I thought I could not 
be so cruel as to make them feel that I was holding 
spite against them while they were in such unfortunate 
circumstances. They treated me with more civility 
and kindness than they had ever extended to me 
before ; but I felt that their gratitude was of the kind 
described as a grateful recollection of favors to be 
received. While I was prepared to help them through 


i88 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


their difficulties — except giving them a start in the 
way of procuring clothing — I had no intention of 
allowing our relationship to change ; but this they 
must learn later on. 

I bade them good-by and returned to my camp and 
put the hides in tan. I then went out and spent the 
entire afternoon in gathering and carrying wild hemp 
to camp, and spreading it out to rot. I had gathered 
enough earlier on, to meet all my own wants; but I 
saw that I must supply the other camp with material 
for clothing. 

The next day I spent in catching fish, fixing up my 
provisions which had now become thoroughly dry again, 
and in doing up a number of small jobs that required 
to be attended to. I got no word from the other 
camp. 

The next morning, shortly after breakfast, Charlie 
came limping with a staff in each hand, accompanied 
by the two ladies. One would have thought they w r ere 
visiting a museum of art and fancy work. They went 
through every part of my house and its surroundings, 
and admired everything; but when they came to 
examine my shirt and the material from which it was 
made, they outdid themselves in astonishment and 
praise. When I suggested that they could clothe 
themselves in this way, they were delighted with the 
idea and proposed starting work as soon as they 
returned to their house. 

I had made two pairs of moccasins similar to those 
I had made for myself, only smaller, and these I 
brought out and presented each of the ladies with a 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


189 


pair. Their thanks were profuse, and they could not 
wait to return home before trying thern on. They 
went outside, and soon came back each as proud as a 
little girl with a new doll. 

I showed them how I sewed the moccasins and skin 
clothes with a sharp bodkin made from a bone, with 
very thin strips cut from the skins for thread, and 
showed them a number of skins in tan, for future use. 
I also told them of my intention to make a spinner, 
that we would not have to twist the thread by hand, 
which was a very slow process. I pointed out the 
difficulty of getting the woody fibre clean out of the 
hemp, and many other things that pertained to the 
work that we had to do. 

When we got through talking over the work that 
had to be done to clothe the company, I entertained 
them for a time, by telling them of some of my experi- 
ences. The mishap with the fish line amused them 
greatly ; but the story of the hut and grave made them 
sad. They examined the ring and button, and agreed 
with me that the castaways must have been English 
sailors. They expressed a great desire to visit the 
spot, and it was finally agreed that some fine day, 
not far distant, when Charlie should have got entirely 
over his lameness, they would come to me early in the 
morning, and we four would picnic on the spot and 
make a further examination of the grounds. 

They were very eager to begin to discuss the future. 
Mrs. Travers asked me to come to the point, as she 
was anxious to know what plans I had. I said my 
plans were very few, and having seen my proposals in 


19 ° 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


the way of procuring clothing, I thought there was lit- 
tle else to mention. But one thing it would be well 
to settle at once, and that was, should we endeavor to 
leave the island in a boat of our own construction? 
If we decided to do this, I would begin at once to 
construct a boat, and be ready to start when the fair 
weather season set in. If we decided to remain on 
the island, or rather if they decided to do so, I would 
prepare a means of making clothing and getting things 
in order before I left; for I had determined to risk 
it, and if I went alone I could send a ship to rescue 
them if I got safe to an inhabited land. If I failed 
and made my bed in the sea, they would be no worse 
off than they now were. Both the ladies declared that 
they would rather live to old age and die on the 
island, than risk themselves at sea in a small boat. I 
suggested that if we had two boats built, we could go 
three in a boat, and the chances were two out of three 
in our favor, if we started in the best weather. I had 
said that I would not turn a hand to save the Commo- 
dore; but I would so far take that back, that I would 
help to build a boat for him to manage. I had been 
thinking that I could make a boat out of reeds, that 
would float if filled with water, and which would right 
itself if turned over; I thought we could scarcely 
be lost from such a craft. At any rate, I was seri- 
ously considering the question of trying it, and if I 
must go alone, then alone I would go. 

Charlie seemed to be as much afraid of the water as 
the ladies, and so I said, “ Well, then, it may be consid- 
ered a settled point, that you do not go until you are 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. I9I 

rescued by a ship. As that may take place to-morrow, 
and may not take place for twenty years, it will be 
well for us to act as if we were sure it would be at 
the last-mentioned date, and begin at once to make 
provisions for a permanent stay where we are.” 

They all thought it better to provide for a prolonged 
stay, so I said, “Then listen to what I propose. The 
men will have to provide for you ladies a house and 
provisions. Let them fit up your house with a few 
more comforts, chink up the cracks as high as your 
heads, build a furnace of stones close to the house for 
cooking and make as many conveniences and comforts 
as possible. You will have to provide the men and 
yourselves with clothing. I will make a spinner as soon 
as I can, and in the meantime you can do as I 
have done in making my shirt. I will get up a loom 
with which to weave in the future, but the hook will 
do for the present. Charlie can be carrier and mes- 
senger between us, and you can come with him when- 
ever you desire to see me personally about anything. 
Try to make your lives as comfortable as you can, for 
anxiety will not bring the rescuing ship any sooner. 
Now if you will excuse me I will prepare some dinner 
for you before you return.” 

My fire was burning brightly, the water was boiling 
and the frying stone was hot, so it did not take me 
long to spread before them a dinner of fried fish, 
warmed kid, rice boiled in milk, rice cakes baked dry 
to take the place of bread, and buttered with good but- 
ter, curd-cheese that had got an edge to it, and a cup of 
tea to wash it all down. I spread these on my two 


192 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


tables, and the two ladies sat at one and Charlie and I 
at the other. I think they enjoyed their meal, if their 
words were any indication of their thoughts, and as 
their appetites endorsed the sentiments that they 
expressed I took it for granted. I know that I enjoyed 
their society, although I could not entirely forget their 
treatment of me in the past. 

Shortly after dinner my company left, carrying with 
them hemp for clothes, skins enough for two pairs of 
moccasins, two hooks whittled from hard wood, with 
which to make the hemp into clothes, and some 
dainties such as I had prepared for the table. They 
were in better humor toward me than they had ever 
been, and promised to return often and learn how to 
work out the several plans that we had discussed. 

The storm and its consequences had entirely changed 
my programme. Instead of exploring the island and 
taking things easy, as I had intended to do, I had 
engaged to provide the women with hemp for clothing, 
to build some kind of a spinner, and follow that with a 
loom for weaving. Then it was evident that I should 
have to assist them more or less, either directly or indi- 
rectly, in providing food. I saw how much they lost by 
not having milk and its products, and thought it wise 
to capture enough goats that we might have plenty for 
all. To do this I should have to build a place into 
which I could put the wild goats to get them thor- 
oughly tame. Every night the wild goats came to the 
pen and stayed with my tame ones ; but as much as I 
had tried to make friends with them they would not 
allow me to handle them. I found it would be neces- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


193 


sary to get them imprisoned and handle them by force 
until they found that I was not going to hurt them, 
and then, little by little, 1 would be able to win their 
confidence, and by the time they would give milk — 
which would not now be many weeks — I would have 
them well in hand. 

I built a good large pen with an opening into it out 
of the shed in which they lodged. Then I fixed the 
front of the open shed so I could close it in a minute, 
and at night when they were sleeping in the shed, I 
slipped quietly up to it, closed the front and left them 
to find themselves penned in in the morning. 

They were very restless when I got up. I brought 
them a feed of grass, and then climbed into the pen 
and closed the entrance to the shed. I caught the 
male goats one after another and passed them through 
into the shed, closing the entrance after them each 
time. I then took out the old-looking ewes in the 
same way, and when I had selected the best of the 
flock, I had — with my three tame ones — fourteen 
very promising goats. Two or three times a day I 
entered the pen, always with salt or some dainty of 
which they were fond, and spent some time in caress- 
ing them until they were all quite tame. 

My ingenuity was taxed to the utmost how to spin 
my hemp, and every spare hour I was thinking how it 
could be done. I made a break by cutting out pieces 
of wood about one and a half inches thick, four inches 
wide and about three feet long. I champered off the 
two edges of one side and laid six of them beside 
each other with the champered edges up, and fastened 


194 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


them together with a pin through each end, through 
holes that I burned with a hot iron. I put little 
pieces between the ends of each two to hold them 
slightly apart, and fastened them to the flattened side of 
a log, with the wood cut away from under the middle 
part, to let the broken fibre fall through. I then 
made another with five pieces. The two outside 
pieces I made longer and fastened them to a limb of 
the log, a couple of feet to one end of the break, with 
a wooden pin on which they worked loosely. When I 
would bring this upper break down upon the lower 
one, the champered edges of the one would just fit 
into the grooves of the other. By laying the hemp 
across the bottom and striking the upper one down 
upon it, the edges would break the fibre. A handle 
fixed to the upper one, enabled me to lift it conven- 
iently, and working this with my right hand and hand- 
ling the hemp with the left, I pushed it back and 
forth across the bottom one, and pounded the fibre 
to pieces with the upper one. It did its work very 
well, and when Charlie and the ladies saw me working 
it and the results of the operation, they were greatly 
pleased. 

The next thing required was some means of hack- 
ling the hemp. For this purpose I made a hackle out of 
small reeds, with sharpened points put through holes 
burned through a thin piece of wood. I split and 
flattened both sides of a piece of wood about four feet 
long and eight inches wide, to a little more than one 
inch in thickness. I took the iron and drew the point 
for some two inches to about a quarter of an inch 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


195 


thickness, and then sharpened the extreme end. I 
then burned forty-six holes through one end of the 
piece of flattened wood in rows at regular distances of 
about one inch apart, alternating the next row to come 
between them, and so on until I had a square of about 
seven inches. I put the sharpened reeds through 
these holes about three inches. Laying the other end 
of this on a seat and sitting on it to keep it solid, I 
would take a handful of the broken hemp and strik- 
ing it down into these reed teeth, draw it through, or 
comb it. The pieces of broken fibre would in time all 
come out and the hemp would assume a soft, pliable 
form. How astonished the ladies were when they saw 
what I produced with my break and hackle ! 

The spinner had taken shape in my brain, but 
would require some time to complete it; so twisting 
with the fingers was still being carried on. The ladies 
had made such progress that they each had a suit of 
hemp, and were prepared to take a trip around the 
island dressed in what at home would have been 
called very coarse bagging, and moccasins on their 
feet. It was decided that the first fine day, and they 
were growing more numerous, now that the rainy sea- 
son was nearly over, we would go to the old hut at the 
west end. I named it the “ Sailors’ Home.” 


CHAPTER XX. 


Our picnic — The lonely grave — What became of the 
survivors ? — The changing coast — Work — Construct- 
ing a big spinner — Failure and success — My first 
thread. 

HE next day bade fair to be fine, and Charlie 



X and the two ladies were at my camp bright and 
early, as eager to get off as if they were going to meet 
some gay company and have a day’s outing. We 
packed up plenty to eat and drink and started for our 
picnic grounds. I carried my axe and part of the 
food and Charlie carried the rest of the food. It was 
not more than nine o’clock when we reached the old 
hut. The ladies visited the grave first and shed a 
tear over it. Ladies always like to visit cemeteries, 
and cry at unknown graves ; but I felt that there was 
great excuse for those two women on this occasion. 
Death is a solemn thing to contemplate even when 
surrounded by one’s friends; but death on a lonely 
island, far away from the world and alone, is supremely 
sad. A grave where no human footstep wakes an 
echo, where no kind hand plants a flower, where 
even the small bird’s song breaks not the death-like 


i 9 7 


A REAL 


BINgQN CRUSOE. 


stillness, where the angry sea alone holds sway, and 
its thundering voice alone is heard on the air — this 
is a solemn, dreary thought. That such was to be the 
lot of some, if not all of us, was probable. How, then, 
could they visit this lonely grave without having 
stirred within them the thought that this would likely 
be their lot, and that they might never again see their 
loved ones and their home. I confess to a very large 
lump in my own throat at the time, and — well, I think 
the breeze from the sea must have affected my eyes, 
for they felt very watery just then. Charlie and I 
went on to the old hut and left the ladies beside the 
grave. We put our provisions under' a bush away from 
the direct rays of the sun, and set about searching for 
traces that would give a definite idea of the character 
of the castaways who had for a short time inhabited 
the island in the past, and kindly left us their goats. 
I said to Charlie, that if these men went to sea in a 
boat of their own make, they built that boat on this 
shore and the chips would still remain. If they went 
in a ship that called and rescued them, or if they went 
in a ship’s boat there would be • no chips, unless the 
boat had been repaired. We had better, therefore, 
search the ground entirely over, and see if there could 
be found any traces of ship carpentry. We did this 
very thoroughly and found nothing to warrant the 
belief that they built the vessel in which they left 
the island. We came to the conclusion that they 
remained on the island until the stormy season was 
past, and left in a ship’s boat. I then went to the 
shore and along it for some distance, and peered into 


198 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE, 


the sea as far as my eyes could search, to find if any 
of the remains of a sunken ship could be discovered; 
but all in vain. If- such had been the case it was so 
long ago that no trace remained within the possibility 
of my vision. The terrible sea, with its wash of years, 
had obliterated everything. We came to the conclu- 
sion that most likely a vessel had been driven on 
shore here during a storm, that some or all of its crew 
had got to shore and that they had built this hut and 
lived in it until the stormy season was past, and that 
they had then got away in the ship’s boat. They 
would be able, if the ship did not go to pieces until 
the storm went down, to bring many things such as 
they would want, to the shore, and this they must have 
done; for, had they been short of provisions they 
would certainly have killed and devoured the goats. 

We had spent the whole forenoon searching the 
ground over, but had made no discovery. We all 
sat down under the shade of a small tree — for the 
storm had left no large ones standing — and took our 
lunch. From where we sat we could see the shore 
and the ocean, and we speculated as to the former 
inhabitants of the island. I said, “Either that shore 
is moving inward or it is moving outward. I never 
knew a sandy shore in my life that was not either 
washing away or filling up. Now which is that doing ? 
You see this break just in front of us where the sod 
on which we are sitting begins. From that to the 
high water mark is several rods. Sometime in the 
past the water must have reached this point; now it 
reaches it no more. Such storms as are experienced 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I 99 


in this latitude would drive the waves much higher 
than ordinarily; but you can see that the traces of 
the late storm did not reach this height. Now if this 
shore is filling at this point and that vessel was 
wrecked on it twenty years ago, it lies just about fif- 
teen rods out, buried in the sand, if it did not go 
entirely to pieces. If I had a boat on a still day I 
would go all over the ground, and if there should be 
any part of it standing out of the sand I would see it. 
As soon as I can get time to build a boat I will do so, 
and we will then come back again and make a fur- 
ther search.” Charlie thought I would probably find 
it so and said he would gladly accompany me. 

After we had eaten our meal we spent some time in 
digging the ground over in the immediate vicinity of 
the old hut, with the points of sharpened sticks, but 
found nothing except a few very small cuttings of 
leather and part of a broken pocket-comb. We 
returned to our camp about four o’clock. The effects 
of the storm were everywhere visible, the large trees 
were all laid flat and the smaller ones denuded of a 
part of their limbs. There was practically nothing but 
a mass of fallen trees or brush, and it was very diffi- 
cult making one’s way through it. 

Now for a few months of hard work. No more 
explorations or excursions; no more trying to kill 
time. The contracts I had entered into would require 
both my head and my hands for many weeks. So 
many weeks that it would be impossible for me to 
build a boat in time to leave the island, before another 
season’s bad weather would be upon us, and that 


200 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


meant another year lost. Perhaps it was better so; 
but somehow it was hard to see it in that light. How- 
ever, it would never do to leave this helpless company 
on this island alone until I had some more practical 
ideas hammered into their heads, nor until they 
had got into a better way of feeding and clothing 
themselves. 

Charlie was the only one I could endure to work 
with. He must come to me almost every day and 
learn how to work. He could break and hackle the 
hemp, while I worked at building the spinner and 
loom. He must learn to milk the goats, for in a very 
short time we would have this to do again. He must 
learn to tan leather and make soap, and chop with the 
axe, and several other things. Then the women must 
learn to spin and weave and sew, and provide the 
clothing for the company, and they must come with 
Charlie and take lessons. Then when all this was 
done and I had built my boat, I would take to sea and 
try to send deliverance to them. My faith in a rescue 
was very weak, for I did not believe that any ship in 
its regular course would come near us. The one that 
we had seen had evidently been driven out of its 
course during the storm that had prevailed for several 
days previously, consequently I had come to look upon 
our stay as permanent, except in the event of our 
taking to sea in a craft of our own. 

Just a few feet to the north of my house stood a 
tree that had a heavy top and formed a beautiful shade 
in midday. The big storm had broken the top off 
just above the lower limb and left only a stub. I had 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


201 


estimated the velocity that a spindle should have, to do 
any kind of rapid spinning, and found that 1 would 
require to have a wheel not less than six feet in diame- 
ter. Now this would have to work on an axle too 
high for me to use it while in a sitting posture, so I 
concluded that this stub would make a good stand for 
the wheel. I could put a peg into the stub and this 
would serve as an axle; then I must have a hub suffi- 
ciently long to keep the wheel from wobbling, or it 
would throw its belt. I would start at once to build 
the wheel, and the spindle must be made to work on a 
small tree about four feet to the west of this. I took 
my axe and cut a piece out of a tree about six inches 
in diameter, about six inches long, square at both ends. 
Then I shaped my burning iron tapering like a spindle 
and burnt a hole through the heart of this piece of wood 
as nearly straight as possible. I took a piece of very 
hard wood and made a spindle to fit that hole, pro- 
jecting about an inch in front and six inches behind. 
I then burnt a hole through the stub, at right angles to 
where I wanted the wheel to hang. I then drove the 
axle into this hole in the stub and wedged it from 
behind. Making a button out of tough bark and fit- 
ting it on the axle in front of this hub, and tying some 
hemp in front to keep it on, completed the hub part of 
the spinner. Sixteen reeds the size of my thumb, all 
of the same length, made convenient spokes, and these 
driven into holes burned into the hub about an inch 
deep completed the wheel to the band. I found a 
tree that the wind had blown down, with a very thick 
and tough inside bark, and I stripped a piece of this 


202 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


bark about twenty feet long, and half way around the 
tree ; after shaving off with my axe the outside bark, 
I carried it to the camp and laid it flat on the ground, 
then took a hemp string and blackened it with char- 
coal and struck two lines lengthwise about five inches 
apart; and then with my knife I cut through it along 
these lines. This strip of bark I fastened with a peg 
driven through a hole cut in it into the hollow reeds. 
I then bent the bark over the ends of the spgkes and 
fastened each spoke in the same way until I had com- 
passed the whole wheel. The ends of the bark I 
lapped over and tied firmly together with hemp. 
The wheel was now done, and when tried on its axle 
ran sufficiently true to be able to retain its belt, which 
would be made of a hemp cord. Had an artist seen 
it he would have laughed heartily ; but it was not built 
for artistic effect. I had spent three whole days at 
this job, and it would require two or three more to 
complete the twisting spindle. 

The little tree in front was about three inches 
through. I took my axe and cut it off very square 
on top, about four feet from the ground, and flattened 
the two sides a little, so that when strips of wood were 
fastened on the flat sides, they would be in a straight 
line with the wheel. I pinned a piece of thin, flat 
wood on each side of this, and whittled a spindle with 
my knife out of very hard wood and fitted it to the 
further sides of those strips. The middle of the spin- 
dle I left about one inch in diameter, with a groove cut 
around it in the centre, to let the cord that was to run 
it work in. The back end I reduced to a pinion 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


203 


about three-eighths of an inch thick, and long enough 
to bear clean across the strip of wood. The front or 
spinning end of the spindle I reduced to about the 
same size, but left it long enough to project between 
three and four inches past the wooden strip. I whit- 
tled the end of the spindle to a point and fitted a 
bark button on it against the strip. I took the hot 
iron and burnt a crease in each of these upright strips 
on the side away from the wheel, a short distance 
from the top. I then burnt holes into the strips to a 
little depth in these creases. I took strips of goat 
skin and put them around the bearings of the spindles 
and the ends into these holes and wedged them in 
tight with pegs made of wood, to prevent friction. I 
then oiled both the axle of the wheel and the bearings 
of the spindles with goat fat, then put on the hemp 
cord for a belt, tightened it up firmly and tried my 
wheel. The spindle flew like wild fire and the belt 
kept its place splendidly. The only question was the 
friction of the spindle; but after turning it for some 
time and feeling the bearings, I found them scarcely 
warm. I decided that the spinner, so far, was a 
success. 

My next move was to try to spin. I brought out 
some hemp and wound the end of some of it on the 
spindle; but I must have been very awkward, for I 
could not get it to wind the twist into the thread. I 
worked for over an hour and gave it up, and sat down to 
study it out. Aha! I see through it now. The end of 
the thread of hemp must be fastened to the spindle. 
This could be done by letting the thread lap over its 


204 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


own end and thus tighten itself; then the thread must 
be held at an angle that would allow it to fall off the 
spindle at each revolution, instead of winding up on 
the spindle. This would certainly put twist into it. 
“Here goes for another trial! All spinning is done 
with a revolving spindle and I will spin.” Another 
trial was attended with better results. I fastened the 
hemp to the spindle as I had decided, about two 
inches from the end, and drew out a string of it about 
the right size to be twisted. I took hold of this 
thread about three feet from the spindle with my left 
hand, and turned the wheel slowly with my right; 
while I held my left hand so that the thread was at an 
angle of about forty-five degrees with the spindle. 
The thread fell off at every revolution, and a twist 
went into it. I turned a little faster ; the twist was so 
hard that I could feel it turning under my fingers. 
Now what was I to do with it. I was at a loss, and 
stopped to think it out. I loosened my fingers on the 
thread and the twist ran back further than my hand. 
My hand dropped to my side while I studied how to 
do it. 

This was the part of the work that I had given 
no thought to, and it seemed to require the most 
thought. Without thinking I turned the wheel a little, 
and the thread wound up on the spindle. “Oh, there 
it is ! ” By accident I had discovered what I wanted 
to know, and could not figure out. I at once drew 
more thread and put twist into it, and then wound it 
on the spindle. I was so pleased with my success 
that I continued until I had the spindle full. The 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


205 


thread was irregular in size and very coarse ; but then 
it was thread, and good strong thread at that; for I 
could not break it with my hands without cutting my 
fingers. 

The next morning early, I got at the spinner for 
practice. Charlie came over nearly every day now, 
and as he had not been over the previous day, he was 
likely to come to-day, and I wanted to be able to spin 
handily before he saw me working the machine. 
Sometimes lumpy places would be found in the thread, 
and I soon found that I could draw these out to a 
considerable extent, if I pulled it a little before I got 
much twist into it; and then I discovered that I could 
draw the thread very much finer than I had drawn it. 
I thought I would try to draw it as fine as I possibly 
could, and I soon found that I could make quite a 
respectable thread. I stopped and wound the thread 
off the spindle and started a new lot; I drew it 
out fine, twisted it carefully and wound it on the 
spindle. 

I had learned a great deal about spinning in the 
past few hours, and had found that my spinner would 
answer the purpose for which I had made it. 

About ten o’clock Charlie came, and was astonished 
to see me spinning thread, and was greatly pleased 
with the quality of my production. I made a spindle 
full of quite fine thread for Charlie to take back with 
him to show the women ; but I took care that he did 
not see either of the first two balls. 

I was so weary with the steady application and 
study of the past six or seven days, that I decided to 


20 6 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


rest for the remainder of the day ; and I asked Charlie 
if he would remain with me and have a good lazy visit. 
He promised to do so, and I got our dinners ready at 
once. When dinner w r as over we sat down and passed 
the afternoon very quietly. 


CHAPTER XXL 


Consultations and confidences — Charlie's story — I tell 
mine — My mother — I long to leave the island — The 
kid — A visit from the ladies — Our plans — The loom 
begun — The ladies learn to spin. 

W HEN we were seated I said, “Now let us try 
and forget that we are prisoners on this speck 
of land, and imagine that we are either sitting in the 
shade that spreads over an English lawn, or beside a 
friendly miner’s camp or a shepherd’s hut, and let us 
talk of happier days.” 

“ To me nothing can be sadder than a rehearsal of 
my earlier experience,” said Charlie. “I would rather 
talk of our prospects and lay plans to enjoy what I 
once enjoyed, but which I now find I did not half 
appreciate. Nevertheless, I have a curiosity to know 
something of your history, and if you will repeat a 
portion of it I will gladly listen, and then we will 
discuss means for leaving this God-forsaken island. 
That interests me more than any other subject.” 

“That isn’t fair, for I have no desire to tell who or 
what I am; and I don’t believe it would interest you 
to know. But I thought if I should leave the island 


208 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


alone, it would be well for me to know all about you, 
that I might send word to your people. As far as I 
am concerned, it don’t matter about me, for I would 
not want my people to know of my dilemma if it were 
in my power to send them word. I am simply a stray 
waif, and it makes little odds to me where I live, or 
for that matter where I die. My whole life has been 
a failure. I seem to have been the subject of a des- 
tiny with nothing in it. Circumstances have always 
sent me where I did not want to go, and kept me 
where I had no desire to stay; yet something higher 
than earth has protected me thus far, and I am going 
to trust to that protection until it ceases, without any 
more complaining than my poor flesh will force out.” 

“Well, I will tell you this much : Herbert and I were 
traveling for pleasure. We visited several countries, 
and at last took in Australia and New Zealand. Her- 
bert is a good fellow, with a kind heart; but was 
rather spoiled at home, and is a little overbearing and 
selfish. When we were in Auckland we were invited 
to a friend’s house, where we met Mrs. Travers and 
her niece. Herbert fell head over ears in love with the 
girl Annie, and to get him to leave for home I could 
not. The ship by which we should have sailed, but 
for this love affair, left over two months earlier than 
the ‘Watchword,’ but Mrs. Travers was to sail by the 
‘Watchword’ because some gentleman whom she 
called the Commodore was to sail in that old tub. 
The Commodore was a very intimate friend of the 
Captain of the ‘Watchword,’ and was to take the 
place of her niece’s guardian. Herbert insisted upon 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


209 


waiting for the 4 Watchword/ so as to enjoy the 
society of our new-made friends. His domineering way 
carried the day and landed us on this island. I know 
very little about either Mrs. Travers or her niece; but 
presume they are just what they claim to be. That is 
how we came to be passengers on the ‘Watchword/ 
and that is all I know of them. We only met the 
Commodore about a week before we sailed, and he 
has no claim on me, but he acts as if I were his 
lackey. I tell you it is very tough for one brought up 
as I have been.” 

“ Charlie, if you will promise me on the word of an 
English gentleman that you will never divulge what I 
tell you, farther than I give you liberty to do so, I will 
tell you a little of my history. It may be that the 
time may come when it will be well for you to know 
who I am ; for if I should go to sea and get lost, and 
you should eventually get rescued, you can let my 
people know what became of me, so that any provision 
that my father may have made for me may be divided 
amongst the other heirs. I do not wish them to find 
out how miserably I failed in this world ; but it may 
save them from trouble about the estate. If my 
father is still alive he is going on well toward eighty 
years of age. The chances are that he is dead, and if 
so, let the estate be divided without reference to me.” 

Charlie promised that he would not divulge any- 
thing that I told him, and so I proceeded. “ I have 
not heard my name pronounced since I left the Lon- 
don docks for Australia. I have simply answered 
to the name under which I took shipping.” Then 


210 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I told him my real name and the address of my 
father. 

Charlie looked at me in utter amazement. “What!” 
he cried, grasping my hand; “is it really true. I 
have often heard you spoken of.” He then, to my 
surprise, told me that his family were intimate friends 
of a family whose estate adjoined my father’s. Con- 
tinuing, he said, “ I have often met them and have 
heard them tell of the son of their neighbor, who left 
home, and that they had never heard of him, and how 
anxious they were about him. Why, your parents 
sent to the detective bureaus of every country to find 
you, and spent thousands of pounds. Your mother 
never was happy after you left. I have often heard 
them mention the poor lady and her trouble, and your 
father blamed himself for driving you away, and did 
all he could to find you. But I believe they never 
traced you farther than to London. Why did you 
leave and cause your friends so much misery ? ” 

I could not answer a word ; I broke completely 
down and wept like a child. Charlie said no more 
until my grief had somewhat subsided. As soon as I 
could speak I said, “Oh, my angel mother — do you 
know if she yet lives ? ” Charlie replied that he had 
no recollection of having ever heard of her death, 
but since he went to college he had not met his 
friends often, and it might have occurred without his 
knowledge. 

“Yes, I remember your friends’ grounds adjoined 
ours on one side and Lord Kilraine’s on the other. 
They, of course, would know all about our family. I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


21 I 


always felt that my mother was alive, and when I 
sailed from New Zealand, my greatest joy was in the 
prospect of once more beholding her. Somehow, 
that night while lying on the east end of this island, 
under that bush, bruised and nearly dead, I felt that 
her spirit hovered over me, and ever since I have 
been oppressed with a feeling that she is dead, and it 
takes the joy from out of the thought of home ; for 
what would home be to me without my mother.” 

I was so broken down with the rush of thoughts that 
our conversation had conjured up, that I wept like a 
child, and putting my hands together in prayer, as that 
loving, gentle mother had taught me to do in my baby 
days, and looking up to heaven with streaming eyes, I 
prayed, “Oh, angel mother, if thy loving spirit has 
joined the hosts of washed ones, and if it is permitted 
to hover over those it loved on earth, accompany thy 
poor unworthy son, and make him to feel thy sweet 
presence always, that he may do only right and event- 
ually join thee in glory. For Christ’s sake. Amen.” 

Charlie was crying as if his heart would break, and 
for a long time not a word was spoken by either of 
us. 

After our grief had partly subsided I said, “Well, 
Charlie, these confidences will do us good, and will 
draw us more closely together and make us more help- 
ful to each other. Keep to yourself what I have told 
you; I cannot make a confidant or friend of either 
Herbert or the Commodore, and as to the ladies, I 
would rather they did not know who my people are. 
If you ever get to England without me, act judiciously, 


212 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


and do not divulge what I have told you, unless you 
are convinced it will do somebody good. I don’t 
know why — perhaps it is because we often talk of my 
leaving the island alone — but I have a feeling that I 
shall never see England again, and for some time I 
have been possessed of a desire to tell you this much 
of my past history, so that some one would know who 
I am.” 

I little thought then, that the fact of having 
divulged my identity to him would be the cause of 
breaking my promise to him ; but how little we know 
what the future has in store for us. 

I suggested that a walk would do us good. We 
started to the swamp and procured some bait, then took 
the line and went to the cove and spent the rest of the 
afternoon in talking about how to build and launch a 
boat and in catching fish. Charlie returned to his 
camp in the evening, carrying with him a large fish 
and a ball of thread that I had spun. I retired early 
and slept away the effects of the excitement that our 
conversation had caused. 

Next morning I arose with an intense desire to 
leave the island, and if I had had the means, though 
it were but a raft, I verily believe I would have 
started. 

What is it that makes us feel so different at times ? 
Sometimes I would feel almost indifferent as to getting 
away, and would reason it out that I might as well 
live there as anywhere. If I reached England I 
would only be in the way of my friends ; each would 
have his or her own family, and as I was too old to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


213 


place myself in the same worldly relationship, there 
would be no vacant place for me to fill. My ways 
would be so rude and unpolished that they would all 
be ashamed of me, and this would make it unendurable 
for me. I had spent the best part of my life away from 
them, and in this way I had better finish it, without 
interrupting them in their peace. But this morning I 
would have started for home, if the means had been at 
hand, regardless of consequences. 

I felt I must shake off this feeling, and began to 
bestir myself and decide how I should employ my 
time, so as to distract my thoughts. 

I went to the goat pen, and behold, the first kid of 
the season was jumping about. I watched it with a 
great deal of curiosity and pity. I felt sorry to have 
to take its life that I might feed on the food that 
nature had provided for it. As it was the kid of one 
of the wild goats, I would have to teach its mother to 
be milked. I decided to allow it a day with its mother 
before despatching it, so I fed the goats and gave 
them drink and prepared to work again at my spinner. 

My experience of the previous day gave me a start 
in the way of success, and I found a continual improve- 
ment in my work. About nine o’clock Charlie and 
the two ladies came to see me. Women’s curiosity 
was so strong that they could not wait longer to see 
the machine with which I made so much better 
thread than it was possible to make by hand. They 
were greatly interested in the working of the awkward 
Affair. Mrs. Travers tried to work it, and declared 
that she would learn to spin. 


214 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


“Yes,” said I; “you should both learn, and when I 
get the loom made you must learn to weave, and Char- 
lie will learn to break and hackle the hemp for you, 
so that when I leave to bring deliverance to you, you 
can clothe yourselves.” 

“I will gladly learn to do anything and everthing,” 
said Charlie. “ I feel very different from what I did 
when I first came to the island. I had been accus- 
tomed to having servants do everything for me, and 
felt that I could not do anything. I now feel that I 
will play the part of servant to myself ; in fact, I am 
heartily ashamed of the way we treated you during 
the earlier part of our stay here, and beg your pardon 
a thousand times. I will atone for it the best way I 
can.” 

I knew that as Charlie had learned something of my 
past history, he would acknowledge that socially I had 
the advantage of him, and this had produced his pres- 
ent feeling of shame for his past treatment. 

I invited them to visit my goat pen and see the new 
comer. They were greatly interested, and thought it 
was a pity to kill the little kid; but our necessities 
knew no law of mercy. It was arranged that Charlie 
should come over every day, and help to milk the 
goats, and carry a part of the milk back with him 
until the flock became sufficiently tame to allow some 
of them to be removed to their camp. 

We found that another lot of pottery would be nec- 
essary very soon. They had broken so many pieces 
that they were very short, and a number had become 
so saturated with fat, milk and other substances, that 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


215 


they were unfit to hold food. I said to Charlie that I 
thought Herbert and the Commodore should at least 
carry and mix the clay and I would form the ware. I 
had not searched for clay on my side of the island and 
did not know whether it could be found ; but as the old 
furnace was still standing, I thought it would prove a 
shorter job to make it where I had made the last batch. 

I told them that I had discovered that the new 
plantain was growing, and I thought it quite possible 
we might get enough, fresh and green, for our dinners. 
Charlie and I set out to gather it, and soon returned 
with enough to satisfy us all. I had dinner spread as 
before and we all partook of it. 

When it was over, Charlie said, “There is a matter 
that I must speak of, although I greatly dislike to men- 
tion it. In spite of the warning you gave us when the 
rice was ripe,- we did not gather enough to put us 
through until it ripens again, and within a very few 
weeks we will be without any. I do not know what 
we will do then.” 

“You surely cannot expect me to help you out of 
that box after my repeated urgings and warnings. I 
have enough to meet my reasonable wants, and per- 
haps feed an occasional visitor, until the next crop 
matures, but I cannot feed a company of six. You 
will be here almost every day helping me, and if the 
ladies are going to learn to spin, they will be here 
every few days. When any of you are here I will 
certainly feed you and give you the best that I have ; 
but you know that I am in no frame of mind to pro- 
vide for the two companions you have left behind you 


21 6 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


to-day. You are all welcome to come to me when 
you please. I will do the best that I can for you; 
but not an ounce of my rice will be carried to the 
other side of the pond.” 

“You are very reasonable and very kind,” said 
Charlie, “and we cannot ask any more than what you 
propose, and indeed have no right to ask that much. 
If we have to live here in future years this shortness 
will not occur again.” 

We went outside and began to discuss the building 
of the loom. This work could not be done out of 
doors, and there was no room for it in my house. 
What was to be done? We would have to build a 
house for it. We could place the loom just to the 
north side of the wheel, but at such a convenient dis- 
tance that one house would cover both the spinner 
and the loom. Then we could make it large enough 
to hold our store of hackled hemp; and we could 
place our break and hackle still to the north of this 
house, so that the dust and pieces of fibre would not 
reach our dwelling. If we built the house first, the 
goats would occupy it, so I thought it best — now that 
the rains were just about past — to build the loom 
first, and then when all was completed, put the house 
over it. 

Should we build a substantial house such as mine, 
or a light one to answer the purpose until the stormy 
season set in ; and then, if we still needed it, replace 
it with one capable of standing a storm? They all 
voted for a light structure just sufficient for shade and 
protection against the goats. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


217 


This matter was thus settled. The loom was to be 
built first, then covered with a light building for the 
present. 

I suggested that the ladies had better set to work 
and learn the art of spinning as soon as possible, and 
work at it every day so they would have enough thread 
for a piece of cloth by the time the loom was ready. 

I described to them what we would need to have 
ready to make a piece of cloth when the loom was 
completed. We would decide how long we would 
make ouV piece of cloth. Then we would want 
enough threads all cut this length to make it. The 
number would depend upon the width that we agreed 
upon. We would see how many threads laid side by 
side filled a certain portion of that width, and then 
multiply to find the total number. The ends of these 
threads must be fastened to a round log, and that log 
must be put in so that it could be rolled over, to 
wind the cloth on as it was woven. A similar log 
must be at the other end of the loom, on which the 
thread must be wound to be unwound as it was wound 
upon the first log. Now, every alternate thread must 
be lifted up, and the alternate ones drawn down to let 
the cross thread go between them, then this process 
must be reversed, and the thread that went crosswise 
must be wound upon a piece of wood long enough to 
reach all the way through between these threads, so 
as to be put in at one end with one hand, and taken 
out at the other with the other hand, and put back 
through again. Then there must be something to 
pound the threads up with to make the cross threads 


21 8 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


lie close together. “ All these things must be done to 
make cloth,” I said. I supposed that about three feet 
was the ordinary width of cloth, and I judged about 
twenty feet would be long enough for the first piece. 
I had a very clear idea of how to do most 'of the 
things that I wanted done, but was rather cloudy on 
some points. They would become clearer further on. 
I would plant, first of all, four posts in the ground, 
make a frame, and would then work everything out as 
I came to it. 

The ladies spent most of the afternoon* trying to 
spin — first one and then the other. They soon found 
that if one would spin and the other prepare the hemp, 
by drawing it out into nearly the size wanted for 
twisting, they could make greater progress, and so 
they worked at it in this way, taking turns at each 
job. 

Charlie and I went and cut such pieces from the 
fallen trees as we thought necessary and brought them 
to camp. There were twelve pieces in all. 

A start was now made at the loom. The ladies had 
made quite a commencement at spinning, and their 
production was not so bad, considering the machinery 
they had to do it with, and their want of knowledge of 
the art. I warned them not to break the spindle, as 
it would not stand a very strong pull. If we had tools 
and metals we could do almost anything needful ; but 
the wonder was how we did anything at all, without 
any other tool than an axe. 

“What a blessing,” said Charlie, “that you were so 
thoughtful as to bring it with you. None of the rest 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


219 


would have dreamed of its usefulness, and if we had 
not had it, we would have been short of more than 
half the comforts that we now enjoy.” 

“ Bushwhacking, my young friend, is a rough busi- 
ness ; but one learns many practical and useful lessons 
at it. I am very thankful that I learned how to use 
the axe and that I had foresight enough, although 
very sick at the time, to bring it with me. I often 
wonder what we will do if we have to stay here until 
it is worn out.” 

They all took supper with me, after which they 
left, saying that they would return and work the next 
day. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


Kid-killing — Building the loom — Hard and delicate 
work — The first cloth — Charlie learns how to milk 
— Herbert's jealousy — My antipathy to the Commo- 
dore — The weave - house — - Our larder — Herbert V 
jealousy culminates — My anger displays itself — / 
offer the ladies shelter. 

EXT morning I took a cord with me and went to 



1 l the pen, and climbing up the logs, threw a noose 
over the neck of the young kid, and soon drew it up 
and strangled it. I took the raft and went out some * 
distance in the swamp and dropped it off. Having 
fastened a stone to its body it sank to the bottom, and I 
returned to camp and fed my flock. How I disliked 
the job of destroying those innocent kids ! 

Apart from the necessary work of housekeeping my 
every moment would now be devoted to making the 
loom. It was always my disposition to get through 
with any work that I had to do while my mind was fully 
set on it, and now that loom would fill my head until it 
was done. 

I made a sort of narrow spade out of a stick of 
wood, and commenced to dig the holes for the posts. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


221 


I had measured off the ground and got stakes set 
where the holes were to be dug before Charlie and 
the ladies arrived. I got Charlie to dig the holes, 
and I cut the tops of the four posts off very square, 
and soon had them set, and I then cut square shoul- 
ders on the under ends of the two side pieces that 
were to go on top ; flattened and burnt holes through 
for pins to go in, and placed them on the tops, and 
drove pins through into the ends of the upright posts. 
Small cross pieces, flattened on the under side and 
pinned across each end of this frame completed the 
top. 

Two side pieces required to be put on these for the 
round beams on which the cloth and thread would 
roll. I measured about three feet from the ground, 
and cut notches into the posts on the inside. These 
notches had square shoulders on the bottom, and I 
took a straight stick and sighted over it to see that 
• they were perfectly level. Then I took two strong 
pieces and halved the ends to fit these notches and 
rest on these square shoulders. Then I pinned them 
together and wedged the pins. It was now evening, 
and my companions left for the night. 

Next day was taken up in fitting the cross beams. 
These had to be cut down with pinions, to work on 
the side beams, and notches had to be made for them 
to work in, and pins put in front of them to keep them 
from drawing together. 

The beater was a slow and particular job. For 
this I went to the swamp and gathered reeds. I took 
four reeds about one inch in diameter and long 


222 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


enough to reach all the way across the loom, and flat- 
tened one side of each. With my knife I cut a great 
quantity of tiny flat splinters of reed, not thicker 
than a thread and about six inches long. Then I 
took the four long reeds, and tying them in pairs, I 
placed the splinters with each end between one of 
these pairs of reeds, laying a very small piece of reed 
between the ends of each of the reeds, as I placed 
their ends into the pairs of long reeds to keep them 
apart so that a thread could work between them, and 
winding thread around them at every splinter, I con- 
tinued until I had it woven nearly four feet long. 
This beater I hung by fastening it to pieces of wood 
suspended from the top beams in such way as to let 
it swing, that it might be used to beat up the thread. 
I fancied it was something in that way that I had seen 
it done in the factories I had visited. This required 
several days of close application; but at last I had it 
finished. 

The next job, and the one that puzzled me most, 
was to make the contrivance that should lift up and 
draw down the alternate threads. I will not under- 
take to describe it very minutely ; but I did it by tying 
two knots quite near to each other in a pair of threads 
put together, then tying the ends to long pieces of 
reeds that would reach across the loom, having the 
knots exactly the same distance from the reeds. 
Each end of these threads was tied to reeds of this 
kind. There were two sets of these reeds, and when 
the one pulled up the other would pull down. I took 
strong cord and hung them with the cord passing over 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


223 


round, smooth reeds, and with loops near the ground 
into which I put long pieces of wood, passing back 
of where the operator would sit and the other end 
resting on the ground. By treading on one of these 
with ope foot, one of these pairs of reeds would pull 
down, and the other would be pulled up, and then by 
treading on the -other with the other foot and remov- 
ing the first, they would reverse positions. 

To put my web into the loom I made a flat piece of 
wood less than an inch thick and about two inches 
wide, and as long as the width of the loom. Then I 
took about a dozen threads, cut the right length for 
the web and tied the ends all together in one knot, 
then another dozen and so on until I had as many 
threads as would make the web of cloth. Then lay- 
ing these knotted ends on the logs on which they were 
to be wound, I laid this thin piece of wood on the 
threads in front of the knots and tied the ends of the 
piece of wood firmly to the log with strong cords. I 
rolled the log over until the thread was all wound into 
it except about six feet. I then put the log into its 
place in the back end of the loom, and proceeded to 
pass the threads, one at a time through the reversing 
machine and the beater, alternating them through the 
reversing machine. When I had got them all through 
I went to the front of the loom and fastened them 
to the front log in the same way as I had fastened them 
to the other log. 

I soon came across a new difficulty. I could not 
make them work unless I had some way of keeping 
the threads tight, or as the sailor would say, “taut.” 


224 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


So I fixed spring poles to lie on the bearings and by 
hanging stones on their ends was able to keep them 
reasonably tight. 

I had often heard of a weaver’s shuttle, and had 
seen something flying back and forth through the web 
in the factories, but as I could get nothing like it, I 
was content to make a very thin piece of wood long 
enough to go through the whole web. The ends I 
cut hollow so that I could wind thread on it over its 
ends. This was a very simple contrivance, but 
answered the purpose very well. 

The ladies had been very faithful in their spinning, 
and now we were just about to realize our hopes in 
the production of cloth. The three stood watching 
me as I wound my shuttle full of thread and prepared 
to begin weaving. 

I passed my shuttle through and held the end of 
the thread, and straightened it across and then drew 
the beater clear down to the beam. Then I reversed 
the threads and passed the shuttle back, then beat the 
thread down again, then looked at it, then passed 
another thread through and then another, and soon 
had an inch of quite solid cloth. It was pronounced 
a success. So the work went on, and before the day 
closed, we had nearly a foot of cloth woven. The 
ladies each tried their hands at weaving, and thought 
they could soon learn the art, and when they returned 
to England they would be able to take situations in 
cloth factories. 

During these days I had been too busy to do more 
than what was absolutely necessary, and many things 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


225 


required to be attended to, so I determined to spend a 
day in doing the work that had fallen behind. 

Kids had to be destroyed, and I spent some time 
teaching the goats to be milked. I gave Charlie a 
lesson in milking. One lesson is all that is required 
to teach the mode of milking, and is more than I ever 
received ; the rest is got by practice. Charlie had his 
lesson, and then went on with his practice. I had 
now nine goats giving milk, and the work of stripping 
them was not small ; especially did I feel this, as the 
greater portion of the milk went to the other camp, 
to the two worthless fellows who made their home 
there. 

Charlie came to me regularly every day and 
remained all day, returning to his camp in the evening. 
I often imagined that he would like to stay with me 
altogether ; but I thought if I asked him to do so and 
he accepted, there would be no way of getting rid of 
him again, if at any time he should fall back into his 
old habits. So I kept him on probation, and let 
him keep his wardrobe and furniture at the old 
camp. 

I proposed in the afternoon that we should go to 
the hill to see if the birds were laying yet. This 
being agreeable to Charlie, we went to the hill-top. 
The birds had just begun to lay, and we got all the 
fresh eggs we could carry away with us. After gather- 
ing the eggs we sat down to have a talk. 

. The sea lay all around us glistening and beautiful. 
The day was lovely, only a little too warm, and we 
both felt ready for a spell of loafing. Charlie felt com- 


226 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


municative, and he opened out with, “ Do you know I 
am looking for trouble in our camp ? ” 

“ How is that? ” 

“ I told you that Herbert was in love with Annie. 
Well, he is jealous of her going to your camp almost 
every day with Mrs. Travers and me. He says she 
takes great interest in everything going on in every 
place but where he is, and insinuates that I am steal- 
ing her affections from him. She can see his selfish- 
ness and authoritative way, and I believe his influence 
over her is dying out, and that she don’t think as 
much of him as she did. But I have no reason to 
believe that she is transferring her affections in my 
direction. I esteem her very highly. She is true and 
kind, and I don’t see how one of her disposition 
could ever think of tying herself to Herbert after 
finding out his true character and disposition. I 
never knew him until we came to this island. They 
say adversity tries friends. Adversity has tried him, 
and he is not all gold.” 

“ Why do you not tell him to get up and go to work. 
There are many things that he can do. He can 
gather all the eggs that your camp will want for the 
next six weeks, or two months. He can carry salt 
water and make salt; he can catch fish, kill kids, make 
fires, cook the victuals and do a hundred other things. 
If I were in your place I would not hesitate to tell 
him just what I expected him to do. Then there is 
that lazy swell of a Commodore. I would tell him 
that he would either have to work or refrain from eat- 
ing. I would not jfeed him. He is quite as able to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


227 


work as you are. You owe him nothing, nor are you 
bound to him by any ties. Let him get up and work 
for himself.” 

“ It is coming to that with Herbert, but the Commo- 
dore is out of all reach. If I told him to work or 
starve, he would just laugh at me, and walk over and 
take the food out of my hand by force. While there 
is anything within reach he will take it, though every- 
one else wants. You are the only one who ever made 
him come to terms ; but I believe he got the better of 
you in the end.” 

- “ I am of a very peaceable disposition, and anyone 
who will treat me kindly can lead me with a thread; 
but my temper is quick and I have a proud disposi- 
tion that will not be trampled on. Rouse me and I 
can be ugly. I am forgiving and do not naturally 
hold spite ; but trample on me and I am slow to for- 
give. When I was put into the boat with you, on the 
day we left the ‘ Watchword/ the expression used by 
the Commodore lifted a wall between him and me that 
can never be surmounted. I would not for the world 
have him do me a kindness. I believe if I were 
drowning and he should throw me a life preserver, I 
would sink before I would take it. I cannot be 
ungrateful or unkind to those who do me favors, and 
I could be neither grateful nor kind to him, and so 
would not accept any of his favors. I have sworn — 
and if I have done wrong in doing so, may my mother 
and my God forgive me — that if he ever enters my 
camp I will avenge myself of the wrongs he has done 
me. As to Herbert he is little better than the Commo- 


228 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


dore. I can never forgive him for going into my hut 
that day and carrying off my provisions in company 
with the Commodore, and laughing his demoniacal 
laugh when the Commodore knocked me down. Oh, 
no, I will live to be even with both of them.” 

We arose and returned to camp, and Charlie soon 
left for his own quarters. 

The next day my three visitors were on hand early. 
The ladies took the spinner and loom in hand, and 
Charlie and I set to work to build the house over our 
cloth factory. It took us two days to get it done, as it 
had to be built of small logs up to the roof with a door 
in the east end. We covered the top with bark 
peeled from the fallen trees. I made the door of split 
logs, flattened and pinned to cross pieces. I did not 
put hinges on it, but fastened it on end by slipping the 
top behind a pole that I had placed there for that 
purpose. 

Every day for more than a week the women came 
over to work at the spinner and loom, and Charlie and 
I worked at the break and hackle. Every night the 
milk from eight or nine goats was carried to the other 
camp, and the two lazy fellows there had little to do 
but to eat and sleep. 

Eggs were plentiful now and the plantain was grow- 
ing nicely. We could catch fish when we pleased and 
my rice bread was sweet and pleasant to the taste. 
The puddings that I made of rice, milk and eggs were 
a delicacy, and the company often said they could live 
very comfortably on the fare if they only had civiliza- 
tion with it. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


229 


I did not like to kill the kids, and so I did not have 
much fresh meat at this season. In fact, none of us 
relished goats’ flesh much when it became full grown. 
It may have been imagination, but we lost our relish 
for kids’ flesh as the kids increased in size. The 
young ones would not be fit to kill for a month 
yet and as this was the season for eggs, we just did 
without meat, except an occasional feast on frogs’ 
legs. 

Every day my helpers came, and my web of cloth 
was nearing completion; but I could see that there 
vvas trouble in the air about .something. Annie was 
very quiet and subdued and Mrs. Travers was not 
much better. Charlie threw out a hint or two, and I 
began to think that our plans for clothing might not 
all carry out as smoothly as I had hoped. 

I felt that whatever might happen at the other camp 
there would be no trouble at mine. Neither the Com- 
modore nor Herbert would venture to come to me, 
and as this was only a private affair between Herbert 
and Annie, in which Charlie might be indirectly 
involved, I could not by any possibility be drawn into 
it. 

The web was nearly completed. Annie was weav- 
ing. The web wanted turning on the beams for the 
last time and Charlie had gone to help Annie to do it. 
Mrs. Travers had gone to the spring for a drink. I 
was behind the factory using the break, when I heard 
an angry voice inside the weave-house, and recognized 
it as Herbert’s. 

“This is how things are going on here, is it? Just 


230 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


as I expected. Very sweet indeed; working lovingly 
together. If either of you think to deceive me you 
are mistaken. Now, madam, you must get out of this 
and walk home with me, or you and I are done with 
each other. Charlie thinks he is very smart coming 
here every day to live with his low-bred chum, but I 
will put a stop to this kind of thing or know the rea- 
son why.” 

“Now, Herbert,” said Annie, “don’t be so unrea- 
sonable. Do act like a gentleman. You know we 
must have clothing, for you as well as the others, and 
how else could we get it unless we came here.” 

My anger had begun to rise the moment I heard 
his voice; but it had not reached its height until I 
heard the expression “low-bred chum.” I dropped 
my work and walked around to the door in which he 
stood. Mrs. Travers had returned from the spring 
and was standing a few feet from him, as pale as 
death. I walked up to him, caught him by the shoul- 
der and gave him a jerk that turned him clear around, 
and left him fully four feet from the door when he 
again faced me. I lifted my hand and pointed the 
way he came, and said, “ Make tracks out of this 
camp as quick as your legs will carry you, and never 
let me see your sponging face here again, or, by the 
heavens above, I will break every bone in your body ! ” 

A flush of anger suffused his whole face, and he 
blurted out, “You low-bred scoundrel, how dare you 
put your hand on a gentleman.” 

The last word had scarcely left his lips when I 
struck him a fearful blow in the face. He fell like a 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


231 


log, but was quickly on his feet again, when I struck 
him another telling blow behind the right ear, which 
sent him to grass again. 

The ladies and Charlie reached me before he rose 
again, caught hold of me and begged me not to 
strike him again. I shouted, “Don’t touch me; I will 
teach him a lesson he won’t forget in a hurry.” 

He struggled to his feet, and for the third time I 
knocked him down. As he appeared to have enough, 
I said to him, “Now, sir, walk in that direction, and 
never let me see your face here again. Move quickly; 
I have no time to waste with you.” He moved away 
slowly, and 1 followed close hehind him until he had 
passed the houses, and then lifting my foot I gave 
him a terrific kick, with the injunction, “Take that 
as a parting gift ! ” 

He turned his face, distorted with passion, and 
looked fiercely at me for a moment, but as his spirit 
seemed to be broken, he quietly walked on. I stood 
and watched him for some distance and then returned 
to the company. Annie had fainted and Charlie had 
run for water, while Mrs. Travers was holding her. 

I thought it was better for me not to go near them, 
and so I went into my house and washed my hands 
and face. Afterwards I went back to my work as if 
nothing unusual had happened. 

It was only a few minutes when Charlie came and 
said, “The ladies think they had better go. I think 
you had better come and see them before they start, 
and see if any understanding is necessary for the 
future.” 


232 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I went around to them and said, “Are you going 
so soon? I would like you to stay to supper.” 

Mrs. Travers replied, “ We are so upset that we 
shall not be able to do anything more to-day, and we 
may as well go now.” 

“ Shall I expect you to-morrow ? ” 

“Oh, that will depend. I don’t know how this 
unfortunate affair will end ; but I expect we will be 
peremptorily forbidden to return.” 

“ By whom ?” 

“Oh, Herbert will be so angry that nothing will 
appease his wrath, and the Commodore will likely join 
him, and we will be told not to visit your camp 
again.” 

“Will /it be your wish to come if they do not 
object ? ” 

“Most certainly. What else can we do?” 

“ If you wish to come, do so, no matter what either 
Herbert or the Commodore may say. They have no 
right to interfere with either of you. You do not 
belong to them, and you owe them little or nothing, 
for either protection or support. You have yourselves 
to look after. Look after your own interests and be 
independent, and let them understand that they are 
not going to control you. If they make it too warm 
for you over there, come here and I will give up my 
house to the ladies and occupy the weaving-room 
myself. I am not low-bred, and I will show you that 
I can be both provider and protector ; but do not 
leave them if it is possible for you to stay there. I 
only offer this as an alternative. I would prefer that 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


233 


you would stay and have your suppers and go home 
at the usual hour, and act very much as if nothing had 
happened. I have still one more man to square 
accounts with, and then I think my work on this 
island will be nearly finished.” 

Turning to Annie I said, “How do you feel about 
it ? Do you wish to come ? ” 

“Oh, certainly,” she replied. “I wiir do whatever 
my aunt says is for the best. I think Herbert acted 
very ungentlemanly and unkind, and I will not soon 
forgive him for it.” 

“ Will you all stay to supper? ” 

They decided to do so. After supper was over 
they went home. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


Trouble brewing — Charlie deserts to my side — A raid 
upon my stores — I punish the thieves — My fight with 
the Commodore — His treachery — I read him a lec- 
ture — Charlie a worker — The ladies escape to me — 
Additional quarters — Tailoring and furniture-making 
— Our refrigerator. 

ERY early next morning, Charlie arrived at my 



V camp in a great state of perturbation. He had 
not breakfasted and had spent a very unpleasant 
night. The ladies were greatly agitated and did not 
know what to do. They would not be at my camp 
that day, and perhaps not again at all. The Commo- 
dore had joined with Herbert in vowing vengeance on 
me, and they both peremptorily forbade either of the 
ladies from ever visiting my camp again. The ladies 
had cried most of the night, and had not slept, while 
he sometimes thought that both the Commodore and 
Herbert would attack him. They abused him in the 
most vulgar manner for what he was doing, declared 
their independence of me, and said they would only 
visit my camp to take revenge for what had occurred. 

This was something the way in which Charlie 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


235 


described the scene; but I knew that I had been 
called all the blackguard names that their ingenuity 
could invent, and if there was one thing that angered 
me more than another, it was to have insinuations 
cast upon the standing of my family. 

We breakfasted' together, and after milking and 
feeding the goats and getting my household duties 
attended to, we went to the weave-house and finished 
the web and took it out of the loom. 

We had quite a stock of hemp hackled and ready 
for spinning, and still a quantity that required break- 
ing and hackling. I thought it was better for us to 
go on with the work and complete the preparation of 
the hemp, so that it would be in a convenient form to 
lay up in the weave-house, and then we could make 
cloth as we needed it. The remainder of the day we 
spent at the break and hackle. 

After supper I said to Charlie, “Now, should those 
men come to this camp they will come for mischief, 
and it will be just as well for us to have our plans 
laid. You have either to stand by me or to stand by 
them. If you are not prepared to stand by me, you 
must not come back to me again. If you are going to 
see me through this, all right. Should they come — 
which will not be until Herbert has recovered from 
his thrashing — you will have to take Herbert in hand, 
a task that ought to be easy for you, and I will inter- 
est the Commodore. I have no expectation of a visit 
from them ; but they will blow and frighten the ladies, 
and then postpone their attack until their threats are 
gray-headed, and then, possibly, forget all about it. 


236 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Should they disappoint me, however, and come over, I 
will give them a fitting reception.” 

Charlie gave me to understand that while he would 
deprecate trouble with Herbert — if they came to my 
camp to attack me — he would see that Herbert could 
render no assistance to the Commodore. 

Charlie was ready to depart. He evidently did not 
relish a return to his camp ; but I told him it was bet- 
ter for him to endure it as long as he could, for if he 
left now, all communication would cease between us, 
and the ladies might be allowed to suffer serious pri- 
vations and no one to relieve them. 

I gave him the web of cloth to carry to the ladies, 
and told him to advise them to make clothing for 
themselves out of it ; for it was impossible to tell when 
they might get another chance to get any addition to 
their wardrobe. He did not carry any milk or other 
food. 

When he reached the camp a very large-sized row 
awaited him, and it got so hot that he left and returned 
to me. 

The Commodore and Herbert evidently thought 
that Charlie had got pretty well versed in the art of 
providing victuals, and now that they had two ladies, 
he could be made useful in providing and preparing 
food. They also thought that if they pressed him very 
hard he would refrain from visiting me, and had no 
idea that their pressure might cause him to refrain 
from visiting them. When he started away from their 
camp in the direction of mine, they perhaps repented ; 
but it was too late. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


237 


I said to Charlie, “You are welcome to remain with 
me until they come to their senses, which will not be 
very long, and we will set to work and make every 
possible preparation for the future. One thing: you 
must not approach them until they hold out the olive 
branch.” 

Next morning we commenced to build a furnace for 
crockery, and spent three whole days at it. Then we 
took the raft across the swamp and brought back clay 
till we had an abundance of it. We then spent sev- 
eral days in forming the ware and setting it in the 
sun to dry. All this, with our other duties, had con- 
sumed nearly two weeks, and yet no sign from our 
neighbors. Charlie was becoming quite restless, and 
I thought I saw where the difficulty lay. He was anx- 
ious about Annie. He evidently thought more of her 
than he was aware of*, and his absence from her was 
opening his eyes to the truth. 

I took him in hand one evening and said to him, 
“Charlie, you are anxious about Annie. Now take 
my advice and just let things go on as they are. It 
will not be very long until their rice will give out, and 
then they will have to do something. They cannot 
live long without either rice or milk. A crisis will 
come soon, and Mrs. Travers will set her foot down. 
She and Annie will walk over here, and Herbert 
and the Commodore will be left alone. To lose both 
you and the ladies will break them all up, and a 
crisis will come again, in which our terms will be 
accepted. When this comes you can all return to 
them again, on condition that they do their share 


238 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


of the work, and your future will be vastly more 
comfortable.” 

Charlie appeared satisfied with my reasoning and 
things went on better for several days. 

We got our crockery burned and had a fine lot of it, 
amongst which were three churns for making butter, 
and a large vessel in the shape of a pot, which I 
intended to use for the purpose of burning tar. There 
were trees on the island of some species of pine, con- 
taining pitch. I knew that if I ever made a boat, I 
would require pitch with which to caulk it, and I was 
making provision for it. The churns w'ere to churn 
cream to make butter for use on my rice bread, and also 
to mix with my sour milk curds for making them into 
cheese. 

Our large flock of goats all gave milk now, and as 
none of it went to the other camp, we had a large 
quantity of sour milk, which we made into curd cheese. 
Our stock of cheese was increasing rapidly. I made 
it into round balls and laid it on plates for some days 
to partly cure, and then packed into large crocks, 
churns, etc. 

Each day one of us would make a trip to the hill 
and bring away a lot of fresh eggs. Then we boiled 
the sea water down to about three times its natural 
strength, and packed the eggs in large crocks, and 
covered them with this strong brine. 

In this way we had spent several weeks and had got 
things into pretty good shape for living. We began to 
think we were not to have a visit from the other camp 
at all, and were wondering how they were getting along. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


239 


Every day when Charlie went to the hill he would 
look over at their camp. He ascertained that the fire 
was kept burning, and he had seen them moving 
about. 

One morning Charlie went for eggs, and while I 
was working about the fire, making cheese and boiling 
salt, I heard a sound that was different from what the 
goats w r ould likely make. I turned and looked toward 
the house, and behold ! the Commodore and Herbert, 
each with a jar of rice in his arms, were stealing 
cautiously out of the house. 

They had evidently observed that one of us went 
to the hill every morning, and thinking, probably, that 
I was the one, they had come over with the intention 
of robbing me in my absence. Finding me at work at 
the fire, they had crept stealthily into my house and 
then to the store-room, the door of which was not 
fastened, and had each purloined a jar of rice and 
were almost successful in getting away with them. 

Lying near the fire was a heap of wood cut about 
three feet long, ready to be put into the furnace. 
Seizing one of these pieces, about the size of my wrist, 
I started in pursuit. The Commodore had the start 
of Herbert, and I overtook the latter first. Bringing 
the club down on his head with a good smart blow I 
felled him to the ground, the rice crock breaking in 
the fall, and the rice flying in every direction. I did 
not stop a second, but continued in pursuit of the 
Commodore who, hearing me gaining on him, stopped 
short, and turning, threw the crock of rice at me. He 
did it so hurriedly that it missed the mark. Instead 


240 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


of striking him with the stick I dropped it, and with 
the momentum of my speed I sprang at him, and 
struck him with my fist full in the face. He fell like 
a log ; I turned quick as thought to see where Herbert 
was, and saw him in the act of trying to regain his 
feet. Turning to the Commodore, who had risen from 
the ground, I dealt him another blow. He staggered 
like a drunken man and fell. I was mad, and deter- 
mined not to let up on him until I had taken full 
revenge. So sitting down on the Commodore, I 
showered blows upon his face and head most unmer- 
cifully. Herbert having gained his feet, took a com- 
pass around us in the direction of his camp; he 
evidently did not want to give me the opportunity of 
rising from the Commodore and attending to him 
again. Seeing he had forsaken his companion in 
distress, I stopped pounding the Commodore, but 
continued to hold him to the earth, and taking him by 
the throat said, “Now, you miserable, lazy old ruffian 
and thief, I will break your spirit or dig your grave.” 
He commenced a violent struggle, but I gripped his 
throat until his tongue protruded. “ Keep quiet, you 
cruel old villian ; you are in my power, and I am going 
to settle a few small scores that I have against you. 
I want you to beg my pardon for the way you have 
treated me since we first met.” He again struggled, 
but I gripped his throat hard, and struck him in the 
face. “Now, sir, do you beg my pardon?” It 
required three or four repetitions of this medicine 
before he at last gasped out, “ I do.” 

‘.‘Now one thing more. Will you promise me never 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


24I 


to visit my camp or molest either me or my property 
again.” He seemed to hesitate, but I gripped his 
throat and lifted my hand to strike, and he said in 
the same choking tone, “I will.” 

I released my hold on his throat and allowed him 
to get up. He staggered about a little and then 
started as if to go, and I turned around to return to 
my camp. Turning again to see how he was getting 
along, I found him in the act of making for me with 
the club that I had felled Herbert to the ground with, 
and which I had forgotten all about. He evidently 
thought that, armed with it, he would be more than a 
match for me and so returned to the attack, attempting 
to strike me from behind. I turned just in time to 
frustrate his designs, but the blow aimed at my head 
struck my left arm, glancing down and bruising it 
severely. With my right hand I struck him on the 
side of the head and he fell to the ground. Taking 
up the club that had fallen from his hands, I threw it 
to some distance, and turning just as he was in the 
act of rising, I again knocked him down, then 
stood looking at him as he lay, not daring to rise 
again. I said: “You thieving, cowardly cur; is there 
to be no peace with you? I warn you that if you 
ever come near me again, I will not stop until I stop 
your breath. You are a lazy old brute, expecting 
every one to be your servant, and you have a fit com- 
panion in the thief who has just sneaked off. Tell 
him for me that I will attack him on sight, and he 
had better keep clear of me.” The Commodore 
undertook to rise again and I gave him another blow 


242 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


that sent him back to sod. “ Don’t be restless,” said 
I; “I want to preach you a short sermon. I want to 
give you a lesson in moral ethics, a branch of educa- 
tion that you were sadly neglected in. It is no use 
reasoning with you — your moral cuticle is too tough. 
Like steak I have seen in the mines, pounding is the 
only thing that will do you good. When you get into 
another very low state of moral turpitude come back 
for some rice and I will give you another lesson in 
athletics. You may rise now and I will assist you to 
make a start in the world in the direction of your 
camp.” 

He had begun to sulk, or was afraid of the start I 
had offered to give him, and he would not rise. I 
stooped over his head, and with my open hand began 
to cuff his ears very smartly, while I kept repeating, 
“Get up ! Get up ! ” At last he got up, and when he 
gained his feet, I treated him as I had treated Herbert 
the day I started him for home from my camp. 

I returned to my house and washed the blood off 
my hands, and Charlie soon afterward came in with 
the eggs. I told him of the encounter, and asked him 
to prepare a clay poultice for my arm, which he did. 
It was very black and bruised, and pained me greatly, 
but I was glad it was not my head, where it would 
have been in another second, had I not turned when I 
did. Charlie then went and gathered up all the 
spilled rice that he could get off the ground and 
brought it to camp. 

“Charlie,” said I, “there is one of four things to 
be done. I must leave this island or the Commodore 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


243 


must; or I must kill the Commodore or he must kill 
me. There will be no permanent peace between us. 
I would not go to sleep where either he or Herbert 
could get at me. There is no telling when that mur- 
derous old thief will lay some plan to attack me when 
I am not prepared, and if he ever gets the start of me, 
he will’ never let up while there is breath in me. I 
don’t think Herbert will try to take revenge out of me, 
unless urged to do so by the Commodore. There is a 
volcano of wrath pent up in the old villain’s heart just 
now, but it will not erupt until his face assumes its 
normal condition. I tell you, Charlie, he looks as if he 
had been put through a sausage mill.” 

Charlie worked away like a good fellow. He had 
learned to do almost everything, and for a few days he 
had almost everything to do. My arm was very lame, 
and I could only do what could be done with one 
hand. 

The eggs were not as fresh as we would like to have 
them, and except to go to our look-out — a thing that 
we never neglected in fine weather — we neither of us 
left camp for some days. 

My arm was getting better, and we had decided 
to go on with our hemp and complete the small 
amount that remained to be broken and hackled, 
and had just got to work, when one day we heard 
female voices and Mrs. Travers and Annie came into 
our camp. 

Both looked pale and frightened; both were nearly 
breathless from exertion. The Commodore had threat^ 
ened them if they left, and they had slipped away 


244 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


unobserved, and had hurried along for fear of being 
pursued and overtaken. 

They said they would have come at the first and 
any time subsequently, but they dared not leave. 
They were nearly starved, for they had not had any- 
thing to eat except eggs, frogs and plantain. The 
rice had given out a few days after the other trouble 
with Herbert, and they had had none since. 

The morning of the “big fight,” as I called it, the 
two men had started out to procure food, and returned 
in an awful plight. Herbert had lain in his bed two 
days with the pain in his head. The Commodore’s 
face was not well yet; it was very black and sore. 
For three or four days he could not see out of his 
eyes, and his face was something frightful to look 
at. 

The women had acted as nurses, and had put clay 
poultices on the Commodore’s face, as had been done 
on the bruises at the time of the storm. Now the two 
men were fairly well, and they thought they could 
safely leave them ; so they had taken advantage of 
the opportunity and had left them to look after 
themselves. 

They had their suspicion as to how the men had got 
such a thrashing, but had not heard them say much 
about it. The Commodore had remarked that some 
one was a devil incarnate, and they thought he was 
referring to me. I remarked, “I presume because 
you knew of no other person to whom the expres- 
sion could be appropriately applied.” 

We soon gave them a hearty meal. I assured them 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


245 


that they need not fear that either of their two friends 
would follow them. I promised that we would set to 
work and provide for ourselves, and try to make them 
as comfortable as the circumstances would allow. 

I had put poles across my house when I built it, on 
which to make a bed. Being alone, I had not made 
another on the other end until Charlie came. Now 
two other beds must be made in the weave-house for 
Charlie and me. 

We fitted up a frame on which to construct these 
beds, and carried the bedding of grass, etc., out of our 
beds, and put it on the beds in the weave house. 
Then we gathered new material and fitted up the beds 
in the house for the ladies. 

I told them they would have to rise earlier than 
they had done, as the goats must be milked early in 
the morning, and we would want access to the store- 
room ; but that I would knock on the door to wake 
them. I said if our present arrangement became 
permanent, we would build another room exclusively 
for the ladies ; but for the present, we would have to 
put up with the inconveniences the best way we 
could. 

We soon got into working order again, and not 
hearing from the other camp, concluded that there 
would be no interruption of our present plans for 
some time. The ladies started the spinner, and 
worked away getting threads for another web of cloth. 
Charlie and I finished up the hemp and had it all 
stored in the weave-house convenient for operating 
on. 


246 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


We built out of stone, in the same way that I had 
built mine, another room to the west of my house. 
We covered it in the same way, and built windows in it ; 
also a very secure door, and when it was completed 
gave the ladies possession of it, and dedicated it 
exclusively to their use. Then Charlie and I moved 
back into my old quarters. 

When the ladies had enough thread spun for 
another web of cloth, we put it into the loom. We 
made this web about thirty feet long. The ladies had 
managed to make the other cloth into dresses for 
themselves, and although very coarse, it was vastly 
preferable to the rags that had covered them before 
they adopted hemp clothing. 

Charlie had made a suit of goat-skin and wore it 
continuously. I was dressed in my suit of hooked 
hemp, and the ladies in woven hemp. We cut a 
grotesque figure, and if some one could have visited 
us from the outside world, they would doubtless have 
had a good laugh at our attire. 

When the web was in the loom one of the ladies 
would weave and the other spin, and Gharlie and I 
were free to engage in other work. 

We felt the want of furniture, and I determined to 
meet it. I went to the swamp and gathered a lot of 
reeds, and then a quantity of long, tough grass that 
grew around the edge of the swamp. I took the 
larger reeds and cut legs the right height for a table. 
Then side and end pieces. I then took smaller reeds 
that could be bent, and bound them into the corners 
for braces, winding them with grass. In this way 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 247 

I fastened the frame together and braced it very 
strongly. 

Then I put pieces of reed the whole length of the 
table about two inches apart, and wove grass into the 
top, over two and under one, and alternating. This 
covered the entire top quite smoothly. 

It was rather a tedious job, but when completed 
made a very good table. It was about three feet wide 
and four long, and very light and convenient. We 
could all sit down at once to this table as comfortably 
as possible. 

The ladies were very proud of this piece of furni- 
ture, and promised to weave a cloth for it, so that it 
might have a respectable appearance, and we would 
not have to eat from the bare top. 

I next made six chairs; four for our dining-room 
and two for the ladies’ room. These were very com- 
fortable and convenient. The legs and backs were of 
reeds and the seats of woven grass. The braces were 
tied firmly into their places with grass. 

When these were done I made two rocking chairs, 
and some small stands for the ladies’ use and for hold- 
ing flowers, etc., for we decided to adorn our house 
somewhat and make it as home-like as possible. 

There were two or three springs in a cluster, from 
one of which we got water for household use. The 
water from all these joined at a little distance down 
and formed a tiny rivulet. Over this we built a small 
house and covered it with bark, and then fixed the 
bottom in such a way that about an inch of this spring 
water would stand on it all the time. Our pans of milk 


248 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


we set in this cool water. This kept them cold and 
allowed a greater amount of cream to rise, and also 
made the milk more pleasent as a drink. We now 
had all the cool, fresh milk that we could possibly 
use. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


Finding the time — Christmas Day — Thoughts of home 
— Tar-making — Boat-building — The launch — The 
trial-trip — Success. 

I T was now over a year since we landed on this 
island, judging by the weather, the vegetable 
growth and the size of the young goats and fowl. We 
had not kept any record of time, and had no definite 
idea of the day of the week or month. The conse- 
quence was that all days were alike to us. We kept 
no sabbaths and observed no feasts. I often felt 
that this was not as it should be, but did not know 
how to ascertain, for certain, which day should be set 
apart for Sunday. True, we could choose any day and 
call it Sunday, and then number the days from that 
day ; but somehow it did not seem satisfactory. The 
sun was now on its southward course and would turn 
northward again about the twenty-second or twenty- 
third of December, and I determined to utilize this 
fact to see how nearly I could find the date. I knew 
on what day of the week the twenty-second should 
come, and by finding the day on which the sun reached 
its farthest limit southward, I could make this a start- 
ing point and accept it as that date. 


250 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I made a sharp stake and drove it into the ground, 
leaving about three feet of it standing above, to cast a 
shadow. I then split a piece of wood in two and 
hewed the split side very smooth. This I embedded 
firmly in the ground with one end against the post, 
and the other lying to the south, or as nearly so as I 
could judge. I took a piece of charcoal and drew a 
line on this piece from the centre of the post to the 
south. Every day when the shadow of the top of the 
post reached this mark, I took a piece of charcoal and 
marked the place of the shadow. 

After many days the shortening of the shadow less- 
ened ; then it stopped, and for four or five days 
it stood so still that my rudely constructed machine 
would not show any difference that could be measured 
by a mark. 

I said to the others one day, after I had marked the 
shadow and thought I could distinguish the least per- 
ceptible change backward, “To-morrow will be Christ, 
mas Day; let’s hold a festival,” and we did. Such a 
festival! After getting our work done for the morn- 
ing, we set about preparing the most elaborate dinner 
that our culinary art and limited supply of edibles 
would permit. 

Of course we had fowl. One of the young sea-birds 
from the hill met this part of the bill. We had dessert, 
too; a dessert of berries that had been picked for the 
occasion and covered with rich cream. Then there 
were roast kid, frogs’ legs, scrambled eggs, boiled plan- 
tain, rice bread, cold boiled rice and cream, curd 
cheese, fresh curds with cream, and tea and milk for 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


251 


beverages. If we had had sugar to sweeten this 
dinner, it would have been a very palatable repast. 
As it was, I felt very thankful that, cast on an 
island so small and barren, we were able to spread 
such a substantial table. 

After dinner was over and the table cleared, we 
gathered in the shade of the house, sitting on our new 
chairs, and prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon 
in a friendly talk. 

That was a sad afternoon. By common impulse, 
each began to tell some story of his or her Christmas 
days at home. Mrs. Travers led off, and before she 
was through her short reminiscence, we were all, in 
spirit, back in dear old England. The homes where 
we spent our early happy days with their Christmas 
gatherings, were all present in our memories, and a 
common question, “ Did they think of us ? ” was asked 
by every lip, for we remembered that their day had 
closed at almost the same hour that ours began. A 
deep sound of sadness was heard in every voice, and 
every eye was a fountain of tears. And yet it was 
pleasant. There was a fascination about it, the tears 
brought solace and for a time we seemed to partly 
enjoy the society of which we talked; but it left an 
intense longing in our hearts. 

The day wore away without incident, and the shad- 
ows lengthened. I said, “To-day is Thursday, the 
twenty-fifth of December. From this forward let us 
each keep a calendar and observe the Sabbath. It 
may be that God has not forsaken us ; let us not forget 
Him.” 


252 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


We had not heard from the other camp since the 
ladies came to us, and we often wondered how they 
were managing for clothing. There was no trouble 
about food, for they could put up with whatever they 
provided for themselves, and if they did not like it 
they had simply to provide better. 

I told Charlie that we would undertake to make 
pitch, so as to be ready to build a boat. We therefore 
set out and cut pitchy spots and knots out of the 
fallen pine trees and carried them in our arms to camp 
until we had quite a quantity of it brought in. We 
then took some of the clay that we had brought for 
our crockery and mixed it and spread it over some flat 
stones, laid in an inclined position, until we had quite 
a large, smooth bed. We then turned the large earthen 
pot that we made, upside down on this bed of clay 
and marked all around it; then taking the pot off, 
made a groove in the clay a little inside of this mark, 
and then made a groove from the lowest point of this 
groove to the edge of the clay bed. We put all the 
pitch pine on this bed, inside of the groove that the 
pot would cover and turned the pot over it, and then 
took clay and covered the groove from the pot to the 
edge of the bed. A fire was then made over the pot 
and kept going until all the pitch in the pine was 
melted and ran out through the groove into a vessel 
placed to catch it. The pot was then raised and filled 
again, and the same process repeated, until we had 
several gallons of pitch or tar. To harden this we put 
it into the pot and boiled it slowly for some time. 

I now determined to make a boat. I had several 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


253 


plans partly matured in my head, but which of these 
to adopt was what puzzled me. I had thought of a 
dug-out, but no tree on the island was large enough 
alone and the splicing of several together would be a 
difficult job, as I only had my axe to do it with. 
Then I thought of trying to weave one out of reeds, 
but several difficulties presented themselve§. Then I 
had speculated on building a sort of catamaran, or two 
reed boats, with a deck extending across both. All 
these plans had their advantages and disadvantages; 
it took some thought before I could decide which to 
try. At length I determined to try the reeds, and if 
these proved not as successful as I hoped I could 
try some other plan in the future. 

I had always intended to leave the island in a small 
boat, as soon as circumstances would permit, and I 
wanted to be sure that the one I used for the purpose 
was as seaworthy as it could be made. It was now too 
late for me to build a boat, make my preparations to 
start and allow myself time — say fifty or sixty days — 
to reach some place of safety before the hurricane sea- 
son would be on again; consequently I had some time 
in which to experiment, and it was with this end in 
view that I commenced to build my boat. 

I consulted with Charlie whether we should con- 
struct the boat near to our camp and then push it all 
the way to the cove, by putting rollers under it, or 
build it at the cove where it would be ready to launch. 
We finally decided to build it at the camp. It would 
be comparatively light, and we concluded that if it 
took us two days to get it to the cove, it would be 


254 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


short compared with the time we would lose in going 
back and forth to work at it. Besides, we could have 
shade to work under if done near the camp. 

We went to the weave-house and spun and twisted 
together a lot of strong cords and small ropes, and also 
a lot of strong thread, and then melted some pitch and 
saturated these cords and threads and laid them to 
dry. 

Our next contract was to lay the keel. We had 
measured the longest reeds that we could find in the 
swamp and found that about fifteen feet was the great- 
est length that we would be able to make the craft. 
We went to the trees that had been blown down and 
selected a good straight one, and we hewed out a keel 
about three inches thick, seven or eight inches wide, 
and the length that we had decided upon. Then 
we made a piece for a bow post and another for a 
stern post, about the same size. We carried these to 
the camp and laid them in the place that we had 
chosen for a ship-yard. 

Our tools were so limited that I decided that we 
would not be able to give the boat strength sideways, 
unless we had at least one solid knee extending up 
both sides of the boat. Next morning Charlie and I 
started to the woods to find a tree or limb sufficiently 
crooked for our purpose. At length we found a fallen 
tree with a crook in the body, and a strong limb growing 
out just above this crook and bending somewhat back- 
ward. This we cut and hewed out to partly what we 
wanted, and carried it to the ship-yard. 

We then placed the keel in position high enough to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


255 


work under it, and proceeded with the construction 
day after day. 

We grooved the inside of the bow and stern posts so 
that the reeds could be cut long enough to be sprung 
in. After fastening the two posts with wooden pins 
into the keel, we put braces from their tcps to the 
keel about four feet from the posts. We fitted these 
braces to the top of the posts and allowed them to 
extend over a few inches and cut square shoulders 
to fit down on the outsides of the posts, then a good 
stout pin driven into a burnt hole through these into 
the tops of the posts, and another pin through the 
other end into the keel, gave the stern and bow posts 
great strength. 

After fitting and shaping the centre knee and pin- 
ning it to the keel with a pin extending clear through 
and wedged, we began fitting in the reeds. By cut- 
ting them long enough to spring into the grooves in 
the bow and stern posts, they remained in place of 
themselves, and we continued to fit them in until we 
had as many in as filled the two posts to their tops. 

We next proceeded to bind them firmly to the cen- 
tre knee by winding them fast to it with tarred cord. 

We then made other knees, joined on the keel and 
fitted them to the reeds; putting in a knee about every 
twenty inches. These we pinned together and also 
pinned to the keel, and wound them to the reeds as 
we had done the centre knee. The affair looked 
strong and substantial. 

While we were working at the boat, the women 
were busy every day spinning and weaving cloth with 


256 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


which to cover over these reeds. Having got enough 
done we tarred it thoroughly and laid it out to dry. 

We now turned our attention to making the gun- 
wales. Searching until we found a tree with enough 
bend in it to allow each of our top pieces to be got 
N out in one solid piece, we hewed these out and fixed 
them on the top of the boat. They were about two 
inches thick by four or five wide, and rested on the 
ends of the centre knee. We burned holes clear 
through their ends, and corresponding holes through 
the posts, and driving tough pins through, wedged 
them. Then burning smaller holes through the posts 
above and below these, we also wound them strongly 
with tarred cord. 

Our next job was to fill the sides up to the gun- 
wales, which we did by cutting and fitting reeds in 
and tying them to the knees with tarred cord. 

The boat was now ready for its cloth sides. The 
way we fastened them on was quite unique, and I had 
more doubts about its success than about any other 
part of the boat. We had chosen wood for a keel and 
posts not too hard. I made out of very tough wood a 
wedge with rather a blunt end, which I used as a 
caulker would his caillking wedge. With this I first 
made a groove about a quarter of an inch deep all 
along the keel and up the posts close to the reeds, 
and spreading the cloth over the sides, caulked it 
firmly down into this groove with my wedge, and then 
sewed the top edge of the cloth to the gunwales by 
winding tarred cord around the gunwales and through 
the cloth. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


25; 


The cloth covering was now on the boat. I took 
some inside bark of a tree, and putting one end of it 
into boiling water for a short time, pounded it on a 
stone with my hammer, and made a brush from it, and 
painted the tarred cloth over with a thick coat of hot 
pitch. 

To protect this cloth covering from injury by being 
struck against anything, we laid another lot of reeds 
lengthwise over it, about three inches apart in the mid- 
dle of the boat, and correspondingly nearer at the 
ends. We burned small holes through the bow and 
stern posts, and wove tarred cord through these, bind- 
ing the ends of the reeds firmly to the posts; then 
burned three holes through the keel, one in the centre 
and one each at equal distance between this and the 
ends of the boat, and run strong cords through them 
and tied the reeds firmly at equal distances apart, and 
then tied the upper end of the cords to the gunwale. 

These cords would create friction in the water and 
prevent speed, and would eventually wear out and 
break; but I could think of no other plan, and had to 
adopt it. 

We now proceeded to complete the inside of the 
boat, by lining the bottom with strong reeds, tied to 
the knees with tarred cords pinned into holes burned 
into the knees. We then put in the necessary cross 
seats and fixed a place for a mast. 

A small mast for a “mutton leg” sail, and four pad- 
dles to steer with and propel it when necessary, and 
enough to have a supply in case one or more should 
be lost, and our boat was ready for launching. 


2 5 8 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Light as the material was out of which we had con- 
structed the boat the whole craft weighed a good deal. 
We could lift and carry it a short distance, and we 
thought it was better to do this than to use rollers. 
It took us nearly a whole day to get it to the cove, 
and we were tired enough when we had accomplished 
it. 

We floated it and let it ride a little while. Then 
we got into it and paddled it around the cove. A 
couple of small boys could not have been prouder of a 
new kite than we were of that boat. The ladies came 
to see the launch, and were as pleased as we were. 
At length, satisfied that it would at least do to sail 
around the island in, when the weather was fine, we 
drew it up out of the water and returned to camp. 

While we were constructing the boat the ladies had 
made the sail, and it was ready to hoist. We there- 
fore determined that if the wind was favorable, we 
would make a circuit of the island the next day. 

Next morning we were up bright and early, and our 
morning’s work was soon completed. The day was 
suitable for a test of the results of our past month’s 
arduous labor. 

The ladies had their misgivings about our going 
out, but did not press them too hard. They accom- 
panied us to the cove or harbor, as we called it. We 
soon had our little sail set, and everything in readi- 
ness to go out to sea. Our craft was too buoyant, if 
anything, so we concluded to ballast her with stones. 
We were equipped with every requisite, paddles for 
steering or propelling, vessels for bailing, stones for 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


259 


ballast, ropes for sounding, a lunch for dinner and 
everything we could think of. 

“ All right, go ahead.” I put the paddle in and we 
shot out through the cut and into the open sea. The 
wind was from the southwest, and I drew in the sail 
and we were soon moving in a southerly direction; 
then tacked for the west end of the island ; tacked 
again to the south and again to the northwest, and we 
made the west end. Letting our sail loose and using 
the paddle, we began to search for the sunken ship 
that 1 had predicted lay in the sands just off the 
shore. I paddled the boat and Charlie lay over the 
bow peering down into the sea. Back and forth we 
went until we were nearly discouraged, thinking we 
had covered all the ground. We decided to try once 
more and then proceed on our voyage. Slowly we 
moved along to the south, then turned and took a 
course a little farther out than we had taken before. 

“ Hallo ! ” I stopped my paddle. 

“ Pull over there a little.” I obeyed. 

Charlie looked intently. “ I see the bulwarks of a 
ship, and part of the deck, as sure as I live.” 

We moved directly over the spot and then I turned 
and looked over the stern. Sure enough, there it was. 
Part of the bulwarks above the sand in one spot and 
in another a part of the deck. 

“See, Charlie,” said I; “there are the splinters of 
a broken mast above that deck.” 

“ Yes, I see it plainly.” 

We moved our boat up to the windward and let her 
float back again over the sunken wreck several times, 


26 o 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


and peered into the sea at the remains of the old hulk. 
We must have spent nearly two hours here, trying to 
make out something more of this wreck, but that was 
all that was to be seen. 

I took the smallest stone that we. had in the boat, 
and tying a rope to it, told Charlie to let it down to the 
deck. He did so, and we found that it was over 
twenty feet. 

“ I was mistaken about that shore filling up, or if it 
is doing so it is at the expense of the sand about this 
distance. That ship never went down in twenty odd 
feet of water. The sand must have washed from 
under and about her, and made shore. She is farther 
out than I had estimated, but she is there just as I 
said she was. Here doubtless lies an untold story, 
for it is doubtful if her crew ever reached their homes. 
How few that take to boats on the Pacific are ever 
picked up or get to land. It is a dangerous undertak- 
ing and almost deters one from the risk. Perhaps the 
women, being naturally more cautious than men, are 
right. I believe, even though this craft should prove 
perfectly seaworthy, I will think twice before I take 
the risk.” 

We drew our sail and away we went around the 
north side of the island, at a distance of over half a 
mile from shore. As we passed opposite to the Com- 
modore’s camp, we saw one of the men on their look- 
out. He evidently thought we were afloat from some 
wreck, for he waved his hands and then started to run 
in the direction of the camp. I remarked that I 
thought it was likely Herbert, and that he had gone to 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


26l 


tell the Commodore. “If they think we are adrift 
from a wreck they will expect us to land in the fish 
cove. Keep your eye on the shore there and see if 
they appear.” Just as the ledge of rock on the east 
side of the cove was hiding the shore of the cove from 
our view, Charlie said, “There they are.” They had 
arrived at the cove in time to see us just as we passed 
on to the eastward. 

We rounded the island and came opposite to the 
ledge where we first landed. Loosening the sail and 
taking the paddle, I propelled the boat as nearly as 
possible in the same track we had followed. Charlie, 
leaning over the bow, looked into the sea. At length 
he said, “ I see rocks, jagged rocks standing up all 
around. It must have gone down amongst them.” 

“ We are just about over the spot, and I am afraid 
to go any nearer for fear of that rock that we first 
struck.” 

“ There is a pointed rock just there a few feet to 
our left, only a little way below the surface ; but we 
can ride over it safely.” 

“ Then look a little further ahead and just to your 
left ; that is where she went down.” 

I moved the boat very slowly, and as there was but 
little sea here under the lea of the island, he had a 
good opportunity of finding it if it had not gone to 
pieces. 

“I see it,” said Charlie. “Yes, that is it over 
there to the right. It has slipped down the side of a 
rock on its end ; but it is very deep, I can but just 
discern it.” 


262 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I pulled over to the plade indicated and looked 
down into the sea. It took some time to get my eyes 
focused properly; but presently I saw it plainly 
enough, leaning as if wedged between two rocks at 
about forty degrees angle. We dropped our plummet 
and could not reach it in its highest point, and judged 
that it must be from thirty to forty feet deep. 

We pulled out and sailed away. Wind had fresh- 
ened a bit and we had a chance to see our craft work. 
The sea had not had a chance to rise yet, and we 
went on finely, holding her as close to the wind as 
possible. 

After we had sailed away southward to a little dis- 
tance from the island, Charlie, who was sitting in the 
bow of the boat, said in an excited manner, “Look! 
Herbert and the Commodore are on the hill watching 
us.” 

They had apparently not yet made out what it 
meant, and were keeping a close watch on our 
movements. 

When we had reached a point from which we 
thought we could tack to our cove, we turned the bow 
for shore, and falling a little below the harbor, I loos- 
ened the sail and drove her in with the paddle. 

We took up the sail and paddles and carried them 
to camp, leaving the boat well up out of the water. 

She had scarcely made a drop of water and had 
worked very well, and we were highly satisfied with 
her; yet she did not inspire me with enough confi- 
dence in her for me to decide that she would answer 
for a sea voyage. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


Herbert's visit and apology — Plain language — My 
doubts — Raising the old boat — The Commodore' s ven- 
geance — I settle the bill — Illness of our enemies — My 
doctrine — Herbert 's regrets. 

EXT day we were resting ourselves after our 



jL \l labors, and as Charlie and I were sitting and 
talking at the ship-yard over some plan to raise the old 
boat, we heard a male voice at the camp, and recog- 
nized it as Herbert’s. We looked at each other in 
astonishment for a moment, for we had not met him 
since the “Waterloo,” as I called it; then I said to 
Charlie, J* Let us go to the camp.” 

When we reached the camp Herbert was standing in 
front of the two ladies, who were seated on chairs out- 
side of their house. He turned and looked at me with 
a very doubtful expression on his face. I said, “Well, 
sir! Have you come on a peaceable errand?” He 
replied, “I have, indeed. I cannot stand things as 
they are any longer, and I have come to beg a thou- 
sand pardons for what I have done, and ask to be 
allowed to visit the folks here occasionally.” 

I told Charlie to go in and set the table and give 
Herbert something to eat. Then addressing Her- 


264 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


bert, I said, “ I will tell you where your trouble comes 
in. You are like a young criminal in bad company. 
The judge as a rule gives him a lighter sentence than 
the old thief. You would have been a better boy if 
you had not fallen into the hands of that old scoun- 
drel, who tells you he was Commodore of a yacht club. 
I think it more likely he was captain of a fishing 
smack. You think your blood is bluer than other 
blood that is better than yours. You are naturally 
indolent and overbearing. These are characteristics 
that a man with a strong mind and force of character 
could overcome. We won’t hold you responsible for 
these defects. You are not a young man to excite the 
admiration of any intelligent person. We are not dis- 
posed to punish you for that ; it will bring its own pun- 
ishment. Learn that you lack very little of being a 
natural born fool, and then you may learn something 
that will be useful to you in future. You may come 
here and see the residents of this camp, provided you 
don’t prolong your visits to more than two hours, and 
don’t make them more frequent than once a day. But 
you must not indulge in any of your unpleasant little 
tricks. Let us find one deviation from the path that 
a true gentleman would follow, and you will find your- 
self excluded from this camp quicker than a leper 
would be run out of society.” 

During this lecture he had stood mute and down- 
cast. When I had finished he merely bowed his head 
in assent. “Now if you will come this way we will 
entertain you; we always treat our visitors hospitably, 
you know.” He followed me to the house and was 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


265 


invited to sit down and eat. He took his seat at the 
table, and I told Charlie to go to the milk house 
for something, and then following, whispered to him, 
“ Should Herbert ask if we are going to leave the 
island, give him an evasive answer.” I went around to 
the ladies and told them to do the same. “ They saw 
us yesterday in our boat,” said I, “and they fear that 
we are to go away and leave them on the island, and 
this is what has brought him here with his soft words. 
If he asks you, say that I have talked of it should the 
boat prove sufficiently seaworthy.” 

I went back again to where Charlie and I had been 
sitting at the ship-yard, and again sat down and began 
to think out a plan to raise the boat. 

After a while Charlie came to me and said that Her- 
bert had gone, and that he had inquired about our 
leaving the island, but had got no satisfaction. 

Next morning I said to Charlie, “I will tell you how 
we will raise that boat. I have thought it all out. If 
we undertake to do it with our craft we will either sink 
it or capsize ourselves into the sea. We will make a 
good strong rope about fifty feet long, and I will take 
part of our iron bar and make a hook. This we will 
fasten securely to the end of the rope. Then we will 
carry eight or ten of those slim dry trees, about twenty 
or thirty feet long, to the cove, and laying them side by 
side bind all the ends firmly together. Across the 
middle of this raft we will lay a stout stick, and right 
through the centre drop our grappling hook. When 
the sea is at its calmest, we will tow this raft to the 
boat, and grapple it by hooking it under the gunwale. 


266 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


We will then tow the raft with our boat. If the raft 
holds the boat up, we will tow the whole back to the 
harbor, but if the raft sinks we will cut our tow-rope 
and let it go. We must be sure to make our raft large 
enough and then we cannot fail. I may tell you that 
my own idea has been to secure that boat, and if she 
is not too badly broken up she can be made perfectly 
seaworthy, and I would not be afraid to tackle old 
ocean in her.” 

Charlie approved of the plan, and we commenced 
our preparations, working as fast as we could, while 
not neglecting our other work. The rice was ripe and 
every day we secured some of it, and filled it into our 
vessels ; we were also laying in our stock of tea. 
Between our work of this kind we spun and twisted 
our rope, and carried the small trees to the cove for a 
raft and fastened them together. 

Herbert came over almost every day, but we took 
care not to let him know anything as to our move- 
ments. It would have been better if we had told him 
all; but man is liable to make mistakes, and this was 
not my first one. 

Our arrangements were completed, and one very 
calm morning we started out with our raft. We 
located the boat and got the raft over it. Charlie got 
on the raft and soon had the hook grappled into the 
boat. I held the end of the rope and pulled when 
Charlie instructed me to do so. Charlie then took the 
rope and pulled it taut, and twisted it about the stick 
in such way that it could not loosen.^ As the raft 
moved with the waves, we could see the boat move on 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


267 


the rocks. Charlie got from the raft to the boat and 
I paddled out the length of our tow-rope. Charlie held 
the tow and I put my paddle in with all my might. 
The raft drew away and presently settled itself well in 
the water. I stopped paddling and turned back to 
the raft, and looking down into the water we saw the 
boat suspended. 

“All right,” said Charlie; “we may pull ahead.” 
Taking quite a compass to avoid rocks we towed away, 
both using our paddles vigorously. We were about 
three hours in bringing our burden into port, and 
found it no small job to draw it to land after we got 
it into our harbor. 

What was our disappointment, after all this labor, 
to find that it was so broken up as to be utterly use- 
less. The keel was broken entirely in two and driven 
up about six inches in the centre, breaking a lot of the 
planking and ribs. This was likely done by the first 
rock that we struck. A large hole, nearly a foot across, 
was broken through a little aft of this break, just to 
one side of the keel, and most of the boarding was 
splintered. 

With proper tools and appliances something might 
have been done to her, but with only an axe and a 
piece of iron, it was impossible to repair her. My 
disappointment was greater than I cared to confess. 

The only thing left in her that would be really use- 
ful to us, the old iron excepted, was the glass. This 
was under the stern seat, and had not fallen out. The 
outside was ruined, but the frame would hold together 
and answer the purpose after a fashion. The sail had 


268 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


been so long in the water that it was useless. I took 
all the iron off her and preserved it for future use. 

A few days after we had secured the old boat, Char- 
lie went down to the cove to capture a fish. In a 
short time he returned greatly agitated. The boat 
was broken all to pieces. Some one had turned it 
up-side down and had taken a large stone and 
pounded the sides out of it. I returned with Charlie 
to the cove and inspected the wreck. With the excep- 
tion of the keel, posts and gunwales, the most com- 
plete job of smashing had been done. I looked at it, 
and a feeling of resentment that I cannot describe 
came over me. 

“We made a mistake, Charlie. We should have 
told Herbert that we had no intention of leaving the 
island. You see how it is. The day after they saw 
us in the boat Herbert came to us as a spy, with soft, 
deceitful words. They made up their minds that we 
were preparing to leave the island and let them remain 
on it, and they have taken this means to frustrate our 
scheme. They ought to have known and did know 
that we could not all have left in that boat. It is a 
devilish act, and I swear will be repented.” 

We returned to camp and found Herbert there look- 
ing very sheepish. 

I accosted him in a very firm voice, and demanded 
if he had taken any part in the destruction of our boat. 
He assured me most positively that he had tried to 
prevent the Commodore from doing it, and had abso- 
lutely refused to accompany him. The Commodore 
had said that it was one of my smart tricks to leave 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


269 


them, and he would prove to me that I could not 
do it. 

I sat for a few minutes in thought and then said, 
“ I do not like these perpetual rows, and I admit that 
there may be some truth in what he says about his 
fearing that we were going to leave. It will not, how- 
ever, do for us to allow acts of that kind to go unpun- 
ished, otherwise neither our goods nor property will be 
safe.” Speaking to Charlie, I said, “Give Herbert 
something to eat, and he will stay here until I return, 
and I will then allow him to return to his camp.” 

The ladies and Charlie tried in vain to persuade me 
not to go over to the other camp. When I got there 
I kept my eyes^ about me, as I thought the Commo- 
dore might be lying in wait and expecting me. Not 
seeing him around I went to the door of the house, 
and looking in found him reclining on his bed. I 
entered, and he no doubt thinking it was Herbert, did 
not look up until I spoke. 

“I have come to settle the bill for that boat,” I said. 

He sprang to his feet and tried to seize hold of a 
stick that leaned against the wall ; but I was too quick 
for him. I did not spare him either physically or 
mentally, and when I left he was again reclining on 
the bed and was likely to remain there for a few days 
longer. Before leaving I stepped to the fire, and tak- 
ing up a piece of charcoal, I returned and marked on 
the door in capital letters “Don’t Forget.” 

When I returned to my camp I told Herbert to go 
and attend to his companion. He started at once, 
and did not return to our camp for several weeks. 


270 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


I inquired if they had done as I told them about 
giving Herbert something to eat, and they said they 
had. I said, “That’s right; I have no disposition to 
make an enemy of Herbert, and he probably gets very 
poor fare over there. Feed him every time he comes 
here. There are two parts that an Englishman likes 
to have well clothed — his stomach and his feet. 
We want Herbert’s friendship, and it can be secured 
by the way of his stomach better than by any other 
road. The Commodore is beyond redemption, and 
the only way we can live as a neighbor of his, is by 
keeping him in fear. The Commodore is such an 
embodiment of selfishness and indolence that I cannot 
comprehend him. He seems to think it is the duty of 
every one to wait on him, provide for him and almost 
bow down to him. He imagines that it is his prerog- 
ative to command everybody, and it is their duty to 
obey. When I came to this island, if I had not had 
some independence in me, he would have placed me 
in the most abject slavery, and ordered me about in 
the most overbearing way. Then if I had not been 
his match physically, he would have beaten and 
knocked me about most unmercifully. I am thankful 
that I was able to assert my independence. He is 
nothing short of a cruel, unmannerly old brute, and 
must be kept under subjection. I greatly disliked 
having to go and chastise him in that cool way. It is 
foreign to my disposition to go into a fight in that 
deliberate manner, and I felt more like reasoning out 
the question than settling it by physical force. In 
fact, it is the first time I ever did it in that way. I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


271 


always want the sudden impulse that will not stop to 
reason ; but this was a most aggravating thing, such a 
deliberate, fiendish act, that I felt if something was 
not done about it there would be repetitions that would 
be unendurable.” . 

We had made a raft and given it to Herbert with 
which to gather rice, and he had gathered all that had 
been taken to his camp. The Commodore had never 
been seen by us on the swamp. As some days had 
passed without our seeing Herbert, I advised Charlie 
to go to the other camp and see how they were. 
Charlie went, and when he returned he told us they 
were both sick with the fever, and neither able to help 
the other. 

I sent Charlie and the two ladies over with provi- 
sions and especially tea, telling them to give them 
plenty, and to find out if they had neglected to use it 
every day. They found it had been too much trouble 
for them to make the tea, and as they had no milk, 
they did not much care for it. I had great faith in 
the tea, and took good care that it was freely used 
by all in my camp. It was anti-bilious and would pre- 
vent and cure the fever that we were all subject to. 

Every day for two weeks my companions visited the 
other camp regularly, and looked after the invalids 
until they were quite well. The tea soon broke up the 
fever, and good strong food did the rest. 

I suggested to Charlie that we should complete 
their stock of rice and tea, and fill up a new vessel 
with either one or the other, and when he went over he 
could take it with him and place it amongst their 


272 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


stores. When they were well again they would learn 
that we had not only nursed them, but had secured 
them a stock of such things as had to be procured in 
their season. 

Was the Commodore grateful ? Not by any means. 
He was irritable and cranky with those who waited on 
him, and when he was told that I had sent the provi- 
sions and given the directions that they were follow- 
ing in nursing him, he cursed me and said he would 
yet live to take my life. 

When told how he acted I said, “I was instructed 
long ago in a doctrine something like this: ‘If thine 
enemy hunger feed him ; if he thirst give him drink, 
for by so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his 
head.’ I have added to that — not by inspiration — If 
he doesn’t feel that kind of coals give him a kind that 
he will feel. So far as taking my life is concerned, I 
do not doubt his willingness, and should not be sur- 
prised at any time to have him lie in ambush for me. 
He is just that kind of a serpent; but I will always 
keep one eye open for him.” 

As soon as Herbert was better he resumed his visits 
to our camp. 

The first opportunity he got to speak to me, he 
expressed his gratitude for what had been done for 
them, and vowed that he would never again be a party 
to anything that would injure or annoy me. He said 
the Commodore was very bitter toward me, and that 
he had tried to reason with him about it, but to no 
purpose. The Commodore could not brook my being 
able to bid defiance to him and to humiliate him as I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


273 


had done. The Commodore didn’t half as much mind 
my thrashing him as he did what he termed the 
infernally impudent lectures that I delivered when I 
got him under my thumb. 

“ Well, Herbert, when I get into the right spirit I 
like to deliver myself, according to the inspiration of 
the moment. If the Commodore will act the part of 
a man, he will not put me into that spirit, and will 
thus avoid both the thrashing and the lecture.” 

Things began to move on much as usual, our spare 
time being spent in the weave-house. Herbert came 
over nearly every day, and being much more friendly, 
would tell us about the Commodore’s eccentricities. 
It was evident that Herbert was getting heartily sick 
of his companion, and only wanted the invitation to 
join our camp and leave the Commodore altogether. 
He got no encouragement in that direction. 

One day while watching the process of cloth-making 
he glanced toward me and said to Mrs. Travers, “What 
blind fools we have been. There is not a comfort or 
convenience we have that he has not provided. His 
ingenuity has no limit. We all felt aggrieved when he 
was put into our boat, and thought it a great impo- 
sition, but how could we ever have got along without 
him. And yet I, for one, have done nothing but impose 
on him and annoy him. I am very sorry that I have 
been so blind. I will not repeat my past conduct 
toward him, and will try to explain to the Commodore, 
so that he will see it as I do now.” 


CHAPTER XXVI. 


Monotony — The floating branch — My vow — The speck 
on the horizon — Is it land ? — The branch shows life 
— The mysterious hand — Shaping a dug-out — Her- 
bert comes as an envoy — My respects to the Commodore. 

HINGS were going on in the old every-day way. 



X The goats, the look-out, the spinner, the loom, 
sewing clothes and making hats — which were now 
plaited out of grass and sewed with thread — preparing 
food and eating it. Monotony; dull monotony. No 
sail, no hope. 

I often proposed that I should go to sea, and risk it ; 
but none of them would hear of it, and so things 
moved on. 

Herbert always had the same complaints about the 
Commodore, who still acted as if he were proprietor of 
all things, and Herbert his servant. This did not suit 
Herbert, whose disposition was not unlike the Commo- 
dore’s, as far as it went. He lacked the courage to 
resent the Commodore’s treatment, which made him a 
poor specimen of a man. He thoroughly understood 
my contempt for him, but nevertheless delighted in 
getting into conversation with me. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 27$ 

I fancied that Charlie had told him of my parentage. 
The difference in his manner indicated this, and he was 
so ready to do homage to blue-bloodedness that he 
actually began to look upon me as his superior. 

The ladies, too, acted very differently toward me and 
I thought k very probable that Charlie had told them, 
also. I could not, however, forget their treatment of 
me in the boat and when we first got on the island. I 
treated them all kindly, was perfectly free and frank 
about everything that pertained to the work, or to plans 
of escape; but — with very few exceptions — I never 
entered into familiar conversation with them. I told 
none of them, except Charlie, anything of my family 
history. None of them told me anything of their his- 
tory except what Charlie told me of his place of resi- 
dence and friendship for our neighbor at home. 

I was getting heartily sick of the confinement. I was 
not in thorough sympathy with any of mycompanions. 
Charlie was the only one I could tolerate ; but there 
was something lacking in him. He did not inspire me 
with respect. He lacked originality and had no inven- 
tive genius. When a plan was fully matured and 
explained to him, he was sure to fall in with it to 
its utmost extent. If he had been able to suggest 
improvements or additions, or had even opposed some- 
thing for the sake of opposition, I would have liked 
him better. 

One morning I went for a stroll. The day was fine 
and I wanted to bring a little variety into my life. I 
went to the hill, then visited the site of our first camp, 
then on to the cove where I had built a fish trap. I 


276 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


had never visited this spot since I left the camp — • 
now called the “Commodore’s camp.” I went down 
on the sand. The tide was out, and I stood where the 
waves washed the sand, and looked out to sea. Pres- 
ently I saw something floating on the waves a little 
way out, and it attracted my attention. It was green 
in color and looked as if it might be a branch of a tree 
with very large leaves. I stood and watched it. Each 
wave brought it nearer. At last I could see that my 
conjecture was right; it was a branch. Wading into 
the sea a little I secured it, and bringing it with me to 
shore I saw that it was different from any tree that 
grew on the island. Where did it come from? It 
must have floated from some distant shore; but how 
far was that shore from our island ? It was green and 
apparently with sap still in it; surely it could not be 
a very great distance to where that branch had grown. 
Perhaps, after all, there might be land nearer than we 
thought, and that land might be inhabited, and if we 
were upon it we might find some means of reaching 
our homes. 

I made a vow. I would take this branch to our 
camp and plant it. If it grew I would leave the island 
in the direction it must have come from. If it died I 
would await events. 

For many days the wind had blown from the north- 
west, and this branch must have drifted from that 
direction. 

I returned to camp and planted the branch a short 
dis nee from the house in a northwesterly direction, 
and left it to speak to me and tell me my destiny. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


277 


I felt that this was sheer superstition, and was 
ashamed to own to the others what I had done; but 
every day I visited that branch to see if there were 
any signs of life on it. 

During the afternoon of the same day that I found 
the branch I took the old glass and went to the hill. 
Taking my stand on the very highest point I scanned 
the horizon to the north, northwest and west very care- 
fully. It might have been all imagination ; but right 
away to the northwest I fancied I could see some- 
thing that looked like a large log of wood afloat in the 
sea. 

I marked out the line with stones on which I saw it, 
so that I could find the same point at another time. 

It was likely a dark spot in the sky or a shadow on 
the sea from some cloud invisible to me. 

I returned to camp and put away the glass and 
went on with my work as usual ; but I would not 
like to admit how much I was influenced by that 
branch. 

I would commune with myself in this w r ay : “ It’s all 
superstition; there is nothing in it and I will be a 
fool indeed if I allow it to influence me. The branch 
has always been in water, having likely fallen in when 
broken from its tree, or been cast in before it had an 
opportunity to get dry, and is all but certain to grow; 
then why risk my life on such a result? But what 
took me there ? By what impulse was I moved to do 
such an unaccustomed thing? How did I happen to go 
to that unusual spot at precisely the time that that 
branch appeared? What was I looking for, anyway?” 


2yS 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


To all these questions I had no answer. It did 
indeed seem strange that I had been led to go to that 
strange spot at that particular moment, which had no 
attraction for me. It may be that I am being guided 
by a higher power, and as I have made my vow I will 
stand by it. 

The next day I took Charlie with me to the hill-top. 
I gave him the glass, and walking to a spot at some 
distance, I told him to take the glass and look directly 
over my head and see if he could discover anything. 
He looked, took down the glass and wiped his eyes 
and looked again. “I declare, ” said he, “I do see 
something.” 

“ What is it like ? ” 

“A long dark spot.” 

“Yes, there is something there. It must be land in 
the distance,” said I. “ I am thinking very seriously 
of going to it; but I will tell you more by and by; 
meantime, say nothing to the ladies about it until I 
give you permission.” 

Why, I could not tell, but as often as I could do so, 
without exciting curiosity in the minds of my compan- 
ions, I went to that branch and examined it carefully; 
but there was no sign of a bud. By and by an anal- 
ysis of my feelings convinced me that I was disap- 
pointed that it did not appear to grow. 

One day, while examining it I discovered a suspi- 
cious-looking little spot near the top on the northwest 
side of the branch. Every day this little lump 
enlarged a little; but not another sign of life could I 
see on the branch. At length this bud had so devel- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


279 


oped as to show unmistakably that a growth of some 
sort was forcing itself out at this spot. 

Another trip to the hill revealed that same dark 
spot in the distant northwest, and I began to be con- 
vinced there was land there. I said to myself, “ Can 
it be possible that we have been living here within 
sixty or seventy miles of land — perhaps inhabited 
land — and putting forth no effort to reach it?” Turn- 
ing my glass in every other direction, I could discover 
nothing; but on looking toward the northwest again 
there was that indefinite dark object, apparently not 
more than a few inches above the horizon. 

Still the growth on my branch continued, and my 
interest in it became more and more intense. 

Everything was going on at its regular pace. We 
had spent over four years of the same monotonons life, 
and there was no sign of change, no hope of succor, 
no sail ever came in view, and the ladies were in 
despair. Many an hour was spent in weeping, many 
a day passed with scarcely a word being spoken, more 
than what was absolutely necessary in connection with 
the things that pertained to our living. Every one 
felt too sad to talk. Instead of getting accustomed to 
it this life was becoming more and more galling to all 
of us. 

While I had many things engaging my attention 
and taxing my ingenuity to provide for life, I was too 
occupied to feel it so much; but for many months 
every day was alike, and the only changes that came 
were the changes of the seasons, and these were too 
gradual to be observed. 


280 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Herbert and the Commodore were living at the old 
camp. The Commodore had the same old feelings 
toward me, threatening that if he ever had the oppor- 
tunity he would take my life. The more Herbert 
came to our camp the more his friendliness for me 
appeared to increase, and he said he and the Commo- 
dore had held several very hot discussions about me, 
but I distrusted Herbert. I felt he was not true, and 
would play the spy against me at any time. 

Every day Herbert visited us, but brought no word 
of cheer or comfort with him to us. Often he would 
co*ne and sit awhile, eat something and go, without 
speaking twenty words. 

My branch had grown, but how slowly. That one 
single bud had put out a branch. From that branch 
fell a large leaf with irregular edges. The two sides 
of the leaf fell alike from the stem and hung almost 
together, like a ragged cloth hung from a line. So 
sickly was the growth that I felt like not looking upon 
it as a growth at all. I began to ask myself if this 
was what I meant when I said I would go if it grew. 
Did I not mean that if it sprang into vigorous life, I 
should go, and success would attend me ? 

One morning about nine o’clock I went out to look 
at the plant. Just before I reached it, I saw some- 
thing that almost made my heart stand still. A creepy 
feeling went up and down my back, and I felt hot and 
cold flashes go over me. Why should it so affect me ? 

The sun was shining through the bushes on the 
branch, and the shadow of its leaf fell on the ground 
in clear dark lines, exactly the picture of a pointing 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


28l 


hand with its finger in the direction of the northwest. 
I examined it closely and not a single line was want- 
ing to make the hand complete — not a line too much 
was there. 

I went and called Charlie. He came out, and I 
showed him the shadow. Not knowing its significance 
he was greatly interested in it as something that might 
appear to be figured in a cloud, or the shape of a 
rock. 

“ Do you observe,” said I, “ that that sickly leaf is 
the only thing growing on that branch and that it 
points to the northwest ? ” 

“ I see all that ; but what has that to do with it ? ” 

I then told him the history of the branch. How it 
came to me in the sea, the vow that I had made and 
the result that he saw before him. “Yesterday I was 
on the point of repudiating that sickly effort, but 
to-day it speaks and I will go. The omen is not good. 
It is too sickly to presage great success, but I feel 
sure it is success. That hand points me in the direc- 
tion of that dark spot on the sea, and I will go. You 
can do without me now, until I return to fetch you. 
Provide for your charge faithfully and trust in God.” 

The next morning I went again to see the branch, 
but the leaf had fallen off. It had done its work and 
had ceased to live. I took it up and carried it into 
the house and placed it in the pocket of my coat that 
I had put away to be worn if I ever got an opportu- 
nity of leaving the island. 

When opportunity offered, I told Charlie of the fate 
of the leaf, and that I had a presentiment that though 


282 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


there was no good fortune for me in the future I would 
get safely to inhabited land. 

“Now,” said I, “we will set to and make up a lot 
of crockery, for that is needed whether I go or 
stay.” 

That afternoon we began to bring over clay, and 
worked at it until we had a large quantity of crockery 
made. Amongst the lot, several flat-sided jugs, some 
larger and some smaller. 

We then brought in a lot of pitch pine, and made a 
quantity of tar, and after tarring a lot of cord and 
rope I boiled the rest down into pitch for caulking. 

I started out alone with my axe and searched the 
woods for a tree out of which to make the beginning 
of a dug-out. I determined to make something more 
substantial than the other one. 

Finding a tree — the largest that I could get that 
was sound — I commenced working on it. I cut it off 
about twenty feet long, and cut off one side of it; 
then began to work out the other half. I drew marks 
to guide me in making it into the shape that I wanted 
it to eventually assume, and cut away all that I could 
trim off, to lighten it. 

When this was done as far as I could do in the 
woods, I got Charlie to go with me to bring it out to 
the camp. We took a rope, which we tied around one 
end of it, and tied a stick to the other end of the rope, 
and getting behind this stick, he at one end and I at 
the other, we pushed like oxen on a yoke and dragged 
the log to camp. 

As I could not go to sea until the fair weather sea- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


283 


son I was in no hurry about getting the boat com- 
pleted, and consequently worked very leisurely at it. 

One thing I had learned, that when I was fully 
employed I had less time to think of our condition and 
was not so unhappy. I found the same thing the case 
with the others. They were more disposed to talk 
and enjoy themselves when they had plenty to do. 
Consequently I determined to find something to do 
every day. 

Herbert and the Commodore had got their clothing 
from our camp for over three years, and neither of 
them had offered to give a helping hand to gather 
hemp or break and hackle it, and Charlie began to 
complain. The complaint reached them; how I do not 
know, and there was bitter feeling between Herbert and 
Charlie about it before I knew anything of the trouble. 

Herbert came to me one day in a very angry mood, 
wanting to know why their supply of clothing was to 
be cut off. I told him it was the first time I had 
heard of it, and I would inquire; but I presumed the 
honey bees were getting tired of the drones. 

“Now, Herbert, let me talk calmly to you. What 
right has anyone on this island to do anything for you 
when you won’t do anything for them ? You are as 
healthy and as strong as any of us. You should 
always be ready to do your share, and more than your 
share of the work. Instead of that you do nothing for 
anyone in this camp, although they do a great deal for 
you. It is no wonder they are tired of it. Why don’t 
you turn in and gather hemp, and help break and 
hackle it, and earn your clothing? You cannot expect 


284 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Charlie to do it all for you, and you will not have me 
very long, for it is my firm determination to leave this 
island though I should be lost at sea.” 

“ I have a great deal of work to do for the Commo- 
dore, and I think it ought to be considered.” 

“I think not. Does the Commodore do anything 
for you or for the others ? ” 

“No; he does nothing, or so little I may call it 
nothing.” 

“Then I will tell you what to do for a week. Rise 
early every morning and come to our camp and get 
your breakfast. Help Charlie to work at the hemp 
and don’t return to your camp until after supper, and 
leave the Commodore to cook his own food and wait 
on himself and see how he likes it.” 

“ All right ; I will try it.” 

Next morning Herbert was on hand, and for several 
days he kept this up. He was of very little use to us; 
but then he was schooling the Commodore. 

One morning he failed to turn up, and I w r ondered 
whether it was through indolence or the influence of 
the Commodore. 

About ten o’clock he came along looking very sheep- 
ish. He said he had come for the Commodore’s glass 
that we had got out of the boat. 

“Go back and tell the Commodore that he cannot 
have the glass. I intend to keep it, because it never 
was the Commodore’s glass; but was put into our 
boat by the captain of the ‘Watchword’ for the use 
of the crew. Besides, I secured the glass by fishing up 
the wrecked boat, and so by virtue of the law of salvage 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


285 


it becomes my property. The Commodore will never 
get the glass. Why did you not come to work to-day? ” 

“ Oh, the Commodore raised an awful row and for- 
bade me to come here any more. He says I must 
not visit here at all, and threatens me with all sorts of 
things if I do. He sent for the glass, and said when 
he had got it there would be no more communication 
between us. He says you are trying to lead me away 
from him as you have done with the others, and swears 
by the eternal that you shall not accomplish it. He 
declares that you shall never leave this island; that he 
will move heaven and earth to prevent your escaping 
the vengeance he has in store for you. I am greatly 
afraid that he will take some means of injuring you, 
and I warn you to be on your guard.” 

“ Now, Herbert, I think you must be convinced that 
I sometimes tell the truth. I told you that you lacked 
character and mind and wanted very little of being an 
outright fool. I now tell you that you don’t lack the 
little that I then gave you credit for. You are a poor, 
silly simpleton. Go back and be a slave to the Com- 
modore. Live and die in bondage ; you are not fit for 
any other position in life. Tell the Commodore when 
he threatens me again that I have no fear of him. 
There are no pistols on this island, and when he 
attacks me he has to come within my reach, and I will 
always be ready to meet him. I am going to leave 
this island next season, Commodore or no Commodore, 
and I am going to take that glass with me.” 

Herbert left, and we did not see him again for 
many weeks. 


CHAPTER XXVII. 


A stone keel — Completing my boat — Provisioning for my 
voyage — Herbert the spy — We launch the boat — 
Loading the supplies — Good-by to the ladies — My last 
night on the island. 

I CONTINUED at my boat, without neglecting my 
other work, and took great pains with it. At 
last I had the log that we had brought from the woods 
completed, except the keel. One day I asked Charlie 
if he remembered the flat, slaty stones, in layers, over 
at the old camp, and he said he did. 

“ I want a strip of that stone,” said I, “ about ten 
feet long, two inches thick and about eight or ten 
inches wide. The kind of boat that I am going to 
build will not be as steady in the water as I want it, 
and I must put a heavy stone keel to it, that will make 
it self-righting.” 

“Won’t it make it self-sinking, too?” 

“I am glad to hear you say that. I like to find 
that you have an idea about it. Yes, it will make it 
self-sinking; but I will make it self-rising as well. I 
have thought of all that. Will you go with me and 
help me carry such a stone ? ” 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


287 


“ I will go gladly, if you think we can do so without 
getting into trouble with the Commodore.” 

“ I will risk that.” 

I took a piece of my iron bar and squared the end, 
something like a stone cutter’s tool, and hardened it 
in goats’ grease. This I carried with me along with 
the hammer and axe to the raft, and Charlie and I 
crossed the swamp. We made straight for my old hut, 
and I showed him the stone I wanted. I soon made 
some wedges of wood and drove them between the 
layers and broke off a piece. Then with my chisel I 
began to knock off small pieces until I got it to about 
the size that I wished. 

While we were working at it the Commodore came 
from his house and ordered us off. He stood at a 
respectful distance, and when we made him no answer 
he took up stones to throw at us, but changed his 
mind. He then shook his fists at us and made all 
sorts of threats, but as we paid no heed to him he 
went back to the house and blackguarded Herbert. 

We got the stone so reduced that we could carry it, 
and taking it up, one at each end, we returned to the 
raft and then to camp. 

I took this stone and marked it out the shape that 
I wanted it, and then knocking off little by little with 
my iron chisel, I reduced it to the marks. When 
completed I should judge it weighed between one 
hundred and fifty and two hundred pounds. This 
would make a very formidable keel, and would give 
the boat great solidity in the water. 

The shape of this stone was about two inches in 


288 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


thickness, eight in width and about ten feet long. 
The front end I cut at an angle of about fifty degrees, 
and left the back end square. 

I had not made any keel on the bottom of the dug- 
out, so I fitted the wood to this stone. Then I burned 
five pairs of holes, immediately beside the stone, one 
on either side, clear through the boat. Then I fitted 
beveled pieces of wood to the sides of the stone, to 
keep it steady. Having got the keel and its side strips 
fixed, I carried them into the house and laid them 
away until I should want them. 

I had my boat building just outside my house, so 
that if any noise should be made in the night, I could 
hear it readily. I was afraid the Commodore would 
try to destroy it if he could get the chance. 

I went to the woods and searched for trees out of 
which to make additions to the top of the boat. The 
log from which I had made the bottom was something 
over a foot in diameter. I had got a bottom out of 
this of about eight inches in depth and had worked it 
out about six inches. I wanted to add fourteen to 
sixteen inches to the sides, and make the boat from 
twenty-two to twenty-four inches deep. I got four 
pieces out and carried them to the house and fitted 
two on either side, on top of each other, and cut 
them out to the shape of the boat. It was not easy 
finding them, for they required to have a bend or 
spring in them, so as not to be too cross-grained near 
the ends. 

It took some time and careful work to fit them, as 
the insides required to fit rather tight and the outsides 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


289 


a little open, so that I could caulk them properly. At 
last they were fitted and numbered and ready to put 
in their places. 

How to fasten them securely on the boat and each 
other, was at first a problem ; but I struck the plan of 
burning holes in pairs ; one through the boat an inch 
or so from the top, and a corresponding one through 
the addition. Then a short piece of tarred rope with 
its ends put into these holes and fastened with plugs 
driven through the hole to tighten them would do the 
job. I tested this on two pieces of wood, and found 
that the wood would split before they would yield a 
particle. 

I fitted these additions and burned these holes, a 
pair at about every foot, and burned the holes for pins 
through the ends. I laid them on top cf my house 
until wanted. 

My rudder was easily fitted on by using irons that I 
got off the old boat I also took the iron keel or shoe 
from the old boat and bent it to go under my stone 
keel, and nail to the wood of the boat at each end with 
nails made from the old iron. 

My boat was now ready to be taken to the water in 
pieces, and I laid it away until the last minute. 

I made two bundles of reeds larger in the centre 
than a man’s leg, to extend the entire length of the 
boat. I plugged up the hollow ends of the reeds to 
keep the water from getting into them, and tied them 
very firmly together with tarred cords. I put the large 
ends in the middle and made them taper to the ends. 
Having got them solidly tied together, I sewed them 


290 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


up in tarred cloth. These I intended to fasten 
securely to the outside of the boat, one on either side, 
just above water mark. They would keep the boat 
from rolling, and would also protect its occupant from 
some of the water that might dash over it. They 
would also keep the boat from sinking should it be- 
come filled with water. 

The timber from which I had made the boat was of 
the softest kind that I could get on the island, and now 
that it was thoroughly dry it was very buoyant. The 
only thing that could cause the boat to sink was its 
keel. I believed, however, that I had fully overcome 
this danger, and that if the craft were full of water and 
loaded with a man and provisions, it would still float. 
Also, if it were waterlogged, that keel would keep it 
right side up. 

I prepared two bulkheads to go in the boat and 
made them so they would be quite or nearly water- 
tight. The first bulkhead included all in front of the 
mast. I intended that space should be entirely empty. 
The aft bulkhead would be about six feet from the 
stern and would be the extent of my promenade. I 
knew that if I were many days at sea I would suffer 
greatly from want of exercise, and this space, in 
which I could also lie down to sleep, would afford a 
little walk for me. 

I prepared goat skins that had been soaked in fat, 
to be fastened firmly over the top of the front part of 
the boat, and fitted a web of tarred cloth to cover the 
entire boat, so that if a wave should strike it, it would 
shed the most or all of the water. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


29 


The next and almost the last thing that I had pro- 
vided was a sunshade, made of a piece of hemp cloth, 
to be put on upright reeds, set in holes burned in the 
top edge of the boat. 

With all these in their places, I could not see how 
the boat could come to grief so long as I kept to open 
sea; but I might not be able to weather a big storm. 

I now began to put my provisions in shape. Two 
jugs of dry rice, a quantity of boiled eggs, rice bread, 
two jars of packed kid — that is, fried kid packed in 
grease — two jars of curd cheese, a small jar of tea, and 
about sixty quarts of water in my flat-sided jugs. All 
these except the water I packed and had ready to con- 
vey to the boat. 

The season was now approaching when I was likely 
to have the best weather, and I concluded to get my 
craft put together and ready for sea by about the first 
of October — according to my calendar. 

The Commodore had not given us any annoyance, 
and Herbert had only visited us once in a while. 
This we knew was simply to find out what was being 
done toward my getting ready to leave. 

I gave instructions that if Herbert came to the 
camp in my absence, they were to say that I had gone 
to the woods. “For,” said I, “when Herbert reports 
that I am working at my boat, the Commodore will 
play some of his abominable tricks and create 
trouble.” 

I carried a quantity of green boughs to the cove 
and fitted up a bower in which to sleep, so that I 
should not leave the boat unprotected while it was 


292 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


being constructed, and I arranged with Charlie that 
one of us would be there all the time. Charlie also 
proposed that he should sleep with me at the cove ? 
and I was thankful for his company. 

It had been some time since Herbert had visited us, 
and I thought it better not to move the parts of the 
boat until he should come again. If he went back 
and reported to the Commodore that there were no 
signs of the boat being put together, the Commodore 
would rest contented for some days, during which time 
I could get away. 

We waited three days. When Herbert came I was 
sitting in front of the house. He talked awhile to the 
women, then came on to our house. He strolled 
around, passed some meaningless remarks, cast his 
eye to the roof, looked at the bottom of the boat, then 
he said, “You are not getting ready to go yet? I 
should think this was a good time to start.” I 
replied, “ I find that Cruikshank’s almanac predicts a 
big storm within the next two weeks, and I thought I 
would wait until it was over. It will do no harm to 
have the season well advanced.” 

After loitering around for some time he strolled off 
toward his camp. 

I said to Charlie, “ Follow that sneaking spy a lit- 
tle way and see what he does. Take the axe with 
you, and if he sees you, you can cut some boughs and 
bring them back with you.” 

Charlie was as much disgusted with Herbert’s ways 
as was I, and without a word he walked away after 
him. He soon returned and said the Commodore 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


293 


was waiting for him amongst the bushes, but he did 
not think either the Commodore or Herbert saw him. 

“Well, Charlie, I shall be lucky if I get away with- 
out trouble with that old villain ; and I fear for you 
when I am gone. Don’t be afraid of him, Charlie. 
You could easily master him. You must not let him 
impose on you.” 

We were soon carrying the material for the boat to 
the cove, and by night it was all there. 

Next morning work began in earnest. The keel 
was fastened to the boat, tarred ropes were passed up 
under it through the holes, and plugs driven in firmly 
by the sides of the ropes ; then the ends of the ropes 
were pinned fast in other holes. Then the beveled 
pieces were pinned fast, and the iron keel fitted on 
and nailed at both ends. 

By noon this had been done, and the keel was a 
firm, substantial affair. 

JDuring the afternoon we put on the sides and 
pinned them fast with pieces of tarred rope. Next day 
we caulked the joints, and gave the whole outside a 
coat of pitch, and got the boat ready to float. We 
then put her into the water to see where her water 
line would come, and found her very steady with the 
stone keel. She was rather more buoyant than I had 
estimated, which I was not sorry to find. We both 
got into her — which would be nearly the weight she 
would have to carry — and marked her water lines; 
then took her out and continued our work. 

We put in the bulkheads and tarred and caulked 
them, put up the mast and fixed it firmly so that it 


294 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


could not get misplaced, and rested for the night. We 
were getting along so nicely that if the Commodore 
only left me alone, two or three days would see me 
afloat. 

With boarding that we got off the old “ Watchword ” 
boat, we covered in the front of our boat to the first 
bulkhead, and covered it over with the oiled goat- 
skins, fastening them to the sides with tiny pegs driven 
into the boat. Then we put over this the tarred cloth 
and fastened it firmly to the sides of the boat as far as 
this bulkhead. We placed other boards over the sec- 
ond or middle bulkhead, fastening them down a little 
over half the way, and covering and securing with the 
skins and cloth, fastened permanently over the top 
for about half the length of the boat. The remainder 
we hooked to pegs driven into the outside edge of the 
boat in a declining position through eyelets made in 
the cloth. The web was then made tight by shoving 
one of the paddles under it on top of the cross board- 
ing. This also served to give the top pitch so as to 
make it shed water easily. 

We followed this up by securely tying the bundles 
of reeds to the sides, and the boat was ready to 
receive my supplies. We launched the boat and were 
perfectly satisfied with it in every respect. 

We carried my supplies down and stored them in 
the centre and drew the cloth over it. Everything was 
now in the boat, and it was ready for sea. I changed 
my clothes and put on my old suit. With the ring 
that I had found in the old hut and the dead leaf of 
my “wizard’s branch,” as 1 called it, in my pocket, I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


295 


took the glass in my hand and went to bid the ladies 
farewell. 

Much as I wanted to leave the island, there was 
something very sorrowful in bidding good-by to the 
old camp in which I had spent nearly six years. The 
goats seemed to know that something unusual was 
going to happen and hung about me more closely than 
ever. Everything seemed to grow dear to me. 

The ladies wept profusely, although they expected 
that I would return in a few days, or weeks at most. 

“Well,” I said, “we have seen the land and I will 
try to reach it. If it is inhabited by civilized beings, I 
will bring you relief. If it is not, then we will be 
none the worse for the effort, should I get back all 
right. If I am lost, Charlie knows how to run every- 
thing, and you will be as comfortable as possible, 
under the circumstances. Good-by.” 

My eyes overflowed in spite of my effort to be calm, 
as I walked to the cove. Every little way I turned 
and looked at the camp until the ridge hid it from my 
sight. A horrible feeling would creep over me, but I 
attributed it to the fear that I felt at the great risk I 
was running. Then I was such a miserable sailor I 
expected to suffer greatly from seasickness. Then 
leaving seemed like going from the known into the 
unknown. I was leaving at least three friendly faces; 
but what was I to meet? Perhaps a shark’s teeth, a 
watery grave, or worse — be served as a dainty morsel 
for a savage people, who found it even harder to pro- 
cure subsistence than we had done on our compara- 
tively barren island. 


296 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


Charlie was at the cove awaiting my arrival. He 
said, “ I have been thinking your boat all out, and it is 
most ingenious and complete. I don’t see how it can 
fail to take you to some place, if you are able to hold 
out, even though you miss the land that we have 
seen.” 

“ Charlie, I have more faith in the boat than I have 
in myself. You know what a bad sailor I am. If I 
am very sick for a long time it may wipe out my life. 
I must tell you now, I am leaving this island with the 
intention of reaching that dark spot yonder. If I knew 
that it was a spot where Christians live I would go with 
a light heart; but it may be a barren spot uninhabited 
and cheerless, or it may be the home of cannibals. I 
do not wish to excite any apprehension in your mind, 
for I want you to always think of me as safe and 
happy ; but I cannot forget the chances I am running, 
nor can I account for a feeling of horror that creeps 
over me. If I find there is no relief for us in that 
dark spot, I will go on until I find something or die. 
I have plenty of provisions for sixty days. I can spin 
it out to seventy if necessary, and if I keep afloat that 
long I don’t see how I can fail to find some help. I 
have in my belt enough money to hire a boat to come 
for you from that dark spot ; and if I get any help there 
you will see me again inside of a month. If I am 
not back by that time, conclude that I have gone 
further.” 

Charlie’s heart was almost bursting, and he sat down 
and cried like a child. I don’t know that there is a 
man in the world who could have done otherwise. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


297 


For some time not a word was spoken. The night 
was dark and the sea moaned in the crevices of 
the rocks, and still we sat. Then I asked him 
if he would watch while I tried to sleep. He said, 
“I would much rather watch than sleep, I feel so 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


A frightful dream — A still more frightful reality — 
Have I killed the Commodore ? — Good-by to Charlie 
— I leave the island — That awful head — The last of 
the island — My voyage — A steamer — Land ! — The 
end of my voyage. 

I CROUCHED down under the side of the bushes 
while Charlie sat just in front of me on the 
ground. After a long time I fell into a sort of doze 
and began to dream a frightful dream. Some demon 
with fiery eyes was chasing me with a club, with a 
knob on it as large as the hill on the island. I ran 
and dodged, and dodged and ran, until I was out of 
breath, but he caught me as I turned in another direc- 
tion and brought the terrible club down on my head 
with a sound like thunder, and I fell. With a yell I 
sprang to my feet, and was horrified to see a heavy 
club descending upon Charlie’s prostrate figure. I 
sprang forward, caught the club and wrenched it from 
the hand that held it. Quicker than lightning I 
raised the club and brought it down with crushing 
force upon the head of the would-be murderer. 

All this passed before I fully realized that I was 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


299 


awake, and that it was not a dream, but a terrible 
reality. 

The Commodore had learned in some way that I 
was preparing to start from the island. Was there a 
traitor in the ladies’ house ? Whether there was or not, 
he had made up his mind to carry out his threat of 
murdering me. 

Seeing Charlie sitting and very likely dozing in the 
darkness, he must have taken him for me. He aimed 
a murderous blow; but missing the head, struck the 
shoulder and knocked Charlie on top of me. He was 
in the act of striking another blow, when I grasped 
hold of the club. How I got out so quickly is a 
mystery; nor do I know how I succeeded in catching 
the club. I only know that it was done. When I 
fully recovered myself I saw my enemy lying on the 
ground. I turned to help Charlie. I found that he 
was badly hurt. Paying no heed to the prostrate 
form, I examined Charlie’s injuries and found the side 
of his head grazed with the blow, and his shoulder 
seriously bruised. He was able to stand and move. 
“Thank God,” said I, “that you were not killed for 
me. 

Turning to examine the Commodore, who was lying 
perfectly still, I turned him over, but saw no signs of 
life. My blood stood still. I felt his pulse; not 
a flutter ! I became fully convinced that he was dead. 
I fell to the ground; whether I fainted or not I do not 
know. I roused myself and looked at my victim, and 
the awful iron went into my soul. In my agony I 
cried, “Oh, my God, I am a murderer! Why was I 


300 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


permitted to live to see this awful day. Oh, my poor 
mother! Your son’s hands are red with blood. He 
can never meet you in that blessed abode where only 
the pure in heart enter. Oh, God, forgive me ! ” 

The deathly paleness of that dead face as it lay in 
the half moonlight, sent the most awful horror through 
my heart. It looked so ghastly. It sent a chill 
through my veins that the suns of succeeding years 
have never warmed out of them. 

Charlie groaned with his pains, and I groaned with 
horror. The moon was creeping up over the hill and 
throwing its sickly rays on that dead cold face, and it 
drove me almost mad. I did not know what to do, 
and Charlie needed attention. I could have jumped 
into the sea to hide that sight from me. 

Charlie wanted to go to the house, and I said, “ Yes, 
go to the house and I will jump into my boat and go 
to sea. Yes, to the bottom of the sea; anywhere out 
of this world. Send for Herbert to take his dead 
companion’s body and bury it. I must go.” Seizing 
Charlie by the hand I cried, “Good-by, Charlie. God 
bless you. Pray for me as long as you live, for I will 
never see another happy hour. May God send you 
deliverance ; it is not likely you will ever see me again, 
everything has changed so within the last hour. 
Good-by ! Good-by ! ” 

Then looking upward I said, “ Oh, my God, I com- 
mit myself to thy care and to thy sea.” 

Taking up the glass I turned to descend to the cove 
and caught one more glance of that ghastly face. 
Another terrible chill shot through my frame. I 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


301 


rushed down the descent, unfastened the ropes that 
held my boat to the temporary floating pier, jumped 
in, and seizing one of the paddles, made it flash in the 
water, and putting forth all my strength, shot my boat 
through the gap and out to sea. 

I never stopped to draw my sail until I was far past 
the west end of the island. I worked like an autom- 
atons, and was almost ready to faint with weariness 
before I realized what I was doing. 

The moonlight had given place to daylight, and the 
sun was showing the bright place from which he was 
presently to come forth. I was about two miles from 
land, and I set the sail to catch a gentle breeze, turn- 
ing the bow of the boat to the northwest and glanced 
toward the island. Yes, there it was. The hill rose 
above it exactly the shape of the Commodore’s brow. 
Indentations or shadows nearer the base formed the 
eyes, the rest of the island fashioned itself into the 
remainder of the face, the whole wearing that ghastly 
look. This awful head just stood above the sea, 
as the head of a swimmer might stand above the 
water. I fancied it was approaching me. I could 
not take my eyes from the sight. I felt that I must 
die where I stood, that I could not live another 
moment. 

The sun had just lifted its round form out of the 
sea. Turning my gaze from that terrible island which 
still seemed to follow me, I looked at the sun, and 
there in that red, fiery ball was drawn in flaming lines 
that same horrible face. It seemed to grin and spit 
out fire at me. It was terrible. It was more than I 


302 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


could bear. With a desperate effort I drew my eyes 
away and sat down in the boat. 

I found that the boat had left its course, but I soon 
changed it to the point of hope, the northwest, and 
looking in that direction, determined not to turn my 
eyes again to see what was behind me. 

Look where I would, there was that awful face, 
right in front of me. If I shut my eyes it became 
more vivid, and so I kept them open and in the direc- 
tion of my course. 

The sun had climbed to the meridian, a fair breeze 
had blown all the forenoon, and I thought I had gone 
to a distance almost sufficient to have passed out of 
sight of the island, and I turned to take a last look at 
it. A small, dark spot was visible above the sea. 
Taking the glass I could see quite distinctly the top 
of the hill. 

Then I said, “Good-by, my little island home; 
good-by forever. Good-by, my companions all; but 
twice good-by, my dear Charlie. I had learned to love 
you more than I knew, but good-by forever. You 
know me no longer as a true friend, but as a murderer. 
We can never meet again.” 

Again I sat down in the boat and fixed my eyes on 
the quarter of hope. Presently I realized that I was 
thirsty, and took a good long drink. Then I said, “ I 
must not allow myself to grow faint, I must eat,” and 
taking some rice bread and cheese I filled my mouth, 
but could not swallow it and was forced to throw it 
into the sea. 

All that afternoon I sat almost motionless, and the 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


303 


wind having freshened, the boat moved on smoothly, 
rising and settling gently with the waves. I scarcely 
thought at all. I seemed in a maze. The sun was 
in the west, and I began to waken to the fact that I 
was on my way to an island which lay ahead of me 
and ought to be in sight by the aid of the glass. I 
had been out thirteen or fourteen hours. I should 
have made forty miles, at about three miles an hour. 
I ought to see that land. 

Taking the glass I stood in the boat and looked 
intently in front and then to the right and to the left, 
but not a speck was visible. Then I turned all the 
way around, but nowhere was a single speck in view. 
Water, only water, and I alone on this vast waste. 
My little boat seemed smaller than ever and I felt that 
my end was near. 

I took another drink and forced a little food down 
my throat, and then sat down again with my hands on 
the rudder cords. 

All day the wind had blown from the southwest and 
I had held well on my way. I continued on the same 
course until sunset, and the wind fell. 

Loosening the sail, I lay down in the boat and tried 
to go to sleep. My head ached as if it would split, 
and it was a long time before I could sleep. That 
horrible face was before my eyes, and when I slept, 
unpleasant dreams troubled me. 

When I awoke the sun was just rising. I could 
scarcely realize where I was. I looked around, but 
nothing was to be seen except the sea. There was 
scarcely a breath of wind. I bathed my face, took a 


304 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


drink and then ate my breakfast, walked up and down 
my boat a few times to start my blood, and then sat 
down in my seat. I took up the glass and looked 
carefully over every inch of the horizon. Nothing. 

I believe a more miserable man than I was never 
breathed. Added to my other troubles there came to 
me the most awful sense of loneliness. I had not 
thought of this in my calculations of trouble; I had 
thought a feeling that I was going home would keep 
me up ; but no, that hope shed such feeble rays 
that I scarcely realized its effects. Alone, alone, 
alone ! A vast sea spreading away on all sides ; I 
became filled with fear. I could feel my scalp crawl 
on my head, and I felt sick! Should I turn back? 
No, no, a thousand times no. Much better spring 
into the sea and forget everything in death. Would 
not that be the best ending, after all — my sor- 
rows all buried and forgotten ? Was life worth the 
living? Was there any joy before me that could 
repay me for all this sorrow? If I dropped into the 
water, a few seconds of time and all would be over. 
There is not a soul on earth to know, none to record 
it or shed a tear ; would it not be best ? 

I was just becoming reconciled to this reasoning 
when a movement attracted my attention ; looking into 
the water, I saw, not twenty feet away, a villainous 
shark, moving cautiously along and casting most 
affectionate glances at me. 

In a moment I had changed my mind. I wanted 
to live — most intensely. 

The wind was beginning to rise ; I tightened the sail, 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


305 


and concluded that a little exercise would do me 
good. Seizing a paddle I worked vigorously for about 
an hour. 

The wind continued to freshen and my boat was 
making the waves ripple under its bow. I laid down 
the paddle and held the boat to its work. 

At midday I again searched the horizon with my 
glass, with the same results as before. 

I took something to eat and drink, and then turned 
my attention to making the most speed that I could 
get out of my craft. The wind increased to a good 
breeze and held on well, and I was making very fair 
speed for such a small vessel. She worked admirably. 
I was greatly pleased with her and watched critically 
her every movement. 

Keeping the course by the sun as well as I could, I 
held on my way, taking up my glass every little while 
to discover that dark spot, but no spot appeared. 

Night came on ; the wind fell, but did not cease. I 
held on my course, steering for a star, and when it was 
nearly set, I would take another higher up in the sky, 
and follow it in the same way. 

As the morning neared I grew very sleepy ; so 
loosening my sail I lay down and slept. 

When I awoke the sun was up and the wind was 
freshening, still from the same quarter. No sign of 
land. I began to consider what it meant. Was it 
part of a direction ? A providence leading or a destiny 
guiding ? There certainly was no land where both 
Charlie and I were sure we saw something besides 
water. Might not the object have been some old float- 


3°6 


A REAI. ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


ing hulk, water-logged and abandoned ? Come to 
think of it, the appearance was not unlike that of a 
wreck. Why did we not think of that before? Fate 
has started me on this journey — a strange, sad fate. 
I will trust it and go ahead. Come what will, I will 
be prepared for it. The more swiftly I sail, the more 
quickly my journey will end; so I will make all the 
speed I can. 

The wind increased, and I kept on my course, hold- 
ing her bow to the northwest. She flew through the 
water until I could hear that peculiar swishing sound 
that is left in the wake. Higher and higher rose the 
wind. A reckless spirit possessed me, and I held her 
steady and said, “Let the wind blow.” Toward 
evening the sea was getting unpleasantly high and I 
was too much in the trough. I changed my course a 
little to the north. She rode the waves easier, and I 
held her on. Once in a while a wave would strike her 
side and break a little over her ; but she sat steady, 
and the water fell off the tarred cloth. I ate, and 
then placed some food and drink under the stern seat. 
I tied down the coverings all around me and elevated 
the centre of the tarred cloth by slipping a paddle 
under it. 

Ready for the night, I sighted a star and steered 
by it, changing as the star changed, and so kept on all 
through the dark night. 

Was it lonesome in the day-time, sitting alone in the 
midst of the ocean? It was ten times more so in that 
dark night, when a slight mistake in guiding my little 
boat might bring disaster and death. The phosphor- 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


307 


escent waves flashed and seemed terrible to me ; but 
my steady little craft held on her way. 

How was it that I was not seasick? It was no 
doubt owing to the excitement. Let it continue; to 
be sick now might mean death. I would not think of 
it ; I would only think of the land toward which I was 
steering. 

I had calculated by the sun’s shadows that our 
island was between ten and fifteen degrees south of 
the tropic of Capricorn. The Friendly Islands were 
about two degrees north of that tropic. Allowing for 
their distance west of us, about one thousand miles 
ought to bring me to one of those islands, if they lay 
in my course. At forty miles a day I should reach 
them in about twenty-five days. I had made up my 
mind that the Friendly Islands were my destination, 
and sat there in my boat on that dark night trying to 
employ my mind with thinking out what I would do 
when I reached them, for the purpose of trying to 
keep that terrible loneliness off my heart. 

Fiercer and fiercer blew the wind; the waves 
splashed over my boat and against me. I was wet 
through, but still that feeling of hurrying on possessed 
me. Further and further from the scene I flew, feeling 
that I would outrun the spectre. 

Then I thought of home, and a great mountain black 
as night rose up before me. I could never go home. 
My hands were stained with blood. What would my 
father say if he were living? “My son and a mur- 
derer ! ” What my poor dear mother ? She would die 
of grief and shame. What my noble-hearted honora- 


3°8 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


ble brothers, and true and loving sisters? No, no! I 
can never go home. The mark of Cain is upon me. 
I am driven out from the face of my friends, if not 
from the face of God. 

Then I thought of the rescue. Charlie knows who 
I am. If I send them a rescuing party and they are 
saved, he will tell what I did, and it will come to the 
ears of my friends and they will know that I am a 
murderer. What can I do about it? I will leave it 
undecided, and trust to God for direction, if I ever 
get safe to land. But I am to get safe to land. Did 
not that leaf, now faded in my pocket, tell me plainly 
to go ? And who has power to make a leaf to grow but 
God ? Who, then, but God pointed me to the north- 
west, and spoke as plainly as nature can speak 
“Go?” Have I not obeyed? Now that God has 
guaranteed me His protection, let the wind blow, He 
will preserve me. 

The morning dawned, and still the wind blew. I 
kept the covering well down over my craft and she 
was riding the waves grandly. I took up the glass, 
but no sign of land or object could be seen. A light 
breakfast and a drink, and still at the helm. I drew a 
little west of north and flew over the waves. 

On, on, all day. My legs were cramped and my 
body pained me with weary sitting; still on she went, 
the wind rather increasing than decreasing. But my 
glass could not reveal anything. 

The sun set, the wind slackened; but all night I 
stood to the sail and moved on to the northwest. The 
sea took a long swell that made me feel sick for the 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


309 


first time. The waves no longer broke on my craft, 
and I loosened the covering and slipped partly into a 
reclining position, and kept my eye on the star. It 
died out in the coming light, the wind went down and 
I loosened the sail and slept. 

It was nearly noon when I awoke and the sun was 
shining on me. I arose, put up the awning and after 
bathing and eating, for I was very hungry, I drew up 
my sail and moved along slowly. 

Each day brought some wind — sometimes as much 
as my little bark could stand — and whether it came 
by day or night, I made the most of it. I ate my 
meals regularly, I paced the bottom of the boat, I 
yawned, I wept, I speculated, I hoped, I prayed, I 
feared, and the weary days went by. No sail, no land, 
I had almost said no hope. Each day I had made a 
notch in the edge of my boat. These notches counted 
thirty, and yet no land in sight. 

I must have gone either too far north or too far 
south. I must have passed the Friendly Islands. 

The wind arose to a gentle breeze that was giving 
me not more than two miles an hour. I was wearied 
to death. I took up my glass and looked to the west, 
northwest, north, northeast; bringing it around very 
slowly and observing every inch of horizon. “What’s 
that? Surely that is something.” No, nothing there. 
The wind was straight from the west, and I was hold- 
ing to it as close as possible. I touched the helm and 
made for the spot where I felt sure I had seen some- 
thing. With my glass in hand, I sailed on gently and 
watched the spot. “Ha, there is something.” It 


3io 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


rises higher and fades. “ As I live, the smoke from a 
steamer!” I put in the paddle and took a straight 
course for the east, and propelled my little craft ahead. 
My heart stood in my mouth. The streak of smoke 
was visible to the naked eye. It moved on in front of 
me, and in an hour had passed me and was going on 
to the south. My heart sank within me as I saw it 
was too late. 

I turned to the north and let my boat move along. 
Then I began to think. “That is a steamer going 
from Hawaii to Auckland. If I had hailed her and 
she had taken me on board, she would likely have 
taken me back to New Zealand, where I must have 
told the story of the ‘Watchword’ and the castaways. 
They w r ould have been rescued and I would be known 
to be a murderer. God be praised ! I am saved from 
that fate. But there is her course, and it is mine to 
safety and to land.” 

Eleven more monotonous days, eleven more notches, 
with sometimes a good breeze and sometimes no 
breeze — a weary round of life. 

The morning of the twelfth day dawned, the breeze 
freshened considerably, and I steered my craft due 
north all day, and not a speck in sight. The night 
looked rough, the wind did not fall wdth the evening, 
and I covered down my cloth. All night the wind 
blew and I flew on at a good pace. Weary watching 
ends with morning. The day dawned, the breeze had 
slackened, and I ate something before the light was 
fully upon the sea, for I was hungry. Then I took up 
my glass. “ Hold ! ” my breath fairly stopped. Right 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3 I I 

straight ahead of me, visible to the naked eye, was 
land ! Yes, there it was, and I shouted for joy. 

For the moment I forgot every trouble of my life. 
I stood up and stamped my feet, to get life into them 
so that I would be able to walk. Then I thought, sup- 
pose I get wrecked in landing, I must have something 
to eat in my pocket; so I filled my clothes with all the 
provision I could stuff into them. Then I stamped 
again, for I could not sit still. How slowly the boat 
moved, how light the wind. I looked at the shore; 
it looked fearfully monotonous — no cove, no harbor, 
no signs of life. It might be barren land after all. 

I was too eager to land to keep my head, and I 
came very near going straight on shore, when I hap- 
pened to think that I had better coast along a short 
distance to find signs of life. I ran to the east for 
a while, but I could stand it no longer; and seeing 
a sort of cove, ran in and loosened my sail. I took up 
my paddle and moved along, and seeing a spot that 
looked as if there was a dry creek bottom I ran right 
into it. The waves bumped the boat two or three 
times and I tried to get out into the water, but fell 
headlong. My legs refused to work nimbly. A wave 
went over me, and I got on my hands and knees and 
crept ashore. The boat turned side on and was 
washed a little higher on the beach. 


CHAPTER XXIX. 


First night on land — I follow a pa,th — The black boy — 
The black man — An exchange of hats — The country 
store— In the Fiji Islands — Samoa to San Francisco 
— My hunt for work — Always that face — -Lord Kil- 
raine — The vision. 

I GOT out of the reach of the waves and sat for 
some time, wondering what to do. My boat was 
beating on the sand with every wave. I got up and 
tried to walk; but found it difficult. I tried to pull my 
boat ashore ; but only succeeded in getting it in a short 
distance; but as the tide was setting out it would not 
suffer for a day. I got a small jug of water and some 
more food, and taking a paddle in my hand for a staff, 
started for a ridge that ran along about half a mile 
from the shore. After a weary struggle I reached its 
top, and a little way in from the brow of the bank 
came to a path — not much used — but still a path, 
and in that path the track of a horse that had gone 
eastward. 

It was now the middle of the afternoon, and as I 
was not able to walk any distance, I began to consider 
what I had better do. I decided to follow a little way 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


313 


after the horse’s tracks, and if I did not discover any- 
thing, return to the boat and stay all night. I went 
on slowly, and after following for an hour saw no 
change in the appearance of the path. I accordingly 
went back to the boat, which was now high and dry, 
ate and drank, took off the sail, and rolling myself up 
in it, lay down on the shore and fell asleep. 

In the morning I ate my breakfast, and putting 
fresh food into my pockets, I took a small jug of 
water and commenced my journey eastward along the 
path. It was nearly ten o’clock and 1 had not seen a 
sign of life. Of course my pace was slow, and I may 
not have gone more than five or six miles. The path 
turned abruptly to the north for a mile or two and 
merged into a more frequented path going in the same 
direction. I soon met a black boy, but scarcely 
knew how to address him. Then I thought I should 
first ask him if he could speak English. He knew 
what I meant, and pointed down the path as much as 
to say, “ There is some one farther on who can.” I 
followed the path, fearing I should meet an English- 
man who would wonder at my hat and general appear- 
ance, and ask questions that I would not care to 
answer; for I had determined not to say anything 
about the castaways, and I knew that if I told that I 
had come from a strange island, curiosity would be 
aroused that would not be easily allayed. 

About half a mile further down the path I met a 
black man. His costume consisted chiefly of a straw 
hat with a broad brim. I said to him, “You speak 
English?” and he said, “Ugh; leetle.” “Well, 


314 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


where can I buy a hat? ” He pointed north along the 
path, then swept his hand to the east, put his fingers 
across each other, then stuck three fingers up. This 
was English. I presumed it meant, to go on until I 
found a path crossing this one, then take it to the 
eastward about three miles. 

I made signs to know if he would trade hats, and he 
seemed pleased with the idea. We traded, and I 
patted him on the back and said, “Good boy.” 

I walked on with a hat about four sizes too small 
stuck on the back of my head, and he went south with 
something resting on his shoulders. 

Stepping aside amongst the small trees, I opened 
my clothes and unloosening my belt, took out eight or 
ten sovereigns and put them into my pocket. Then, 
after taking a drink out of my jug, I threw it and my 
stale food away. 

I returned to the path, quickened my step and soon 
came upon the cross path. In about an hour I 
reached a miserable-looking country store kept by a 
native or half-breed, who could speak a little English. 

I bought a straw hat and something that he called 
shoes. I also got this native merchant to give me a 
dinner. It was not much of a dinner ; but oh, it was 
sweet to get a taste of wheat bread again. 

I asked him a great many questions, and learned 
lhat it was about twenty miles to a town of some size. 
[ got him to lend me a horse to take me to the hotel 
in that town. He sent a native lad for the animal, 
and that night I landed in a hotel kept by an English- 
man, where there were some signs of civilization. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3 1 5 

I very soon bought a suit of clothes, got my hair cut 
and my beard trimmed, took a bath and then wondered 
if it was myself or some other person. The landlord 
plied me with questions, but got nothing out of me 
except that I had been working on a barbarous 
plantation. 

All this time I did not know what country I was in 
and was afraid to ask. I struck a plan at last to find 
out. I asked the landlord if he could show me a map, 
as I wanted to look up some places. He procured 
one for me, and I found that I was on the Fiji 
Islands. I had passed the Friendly Islands to the 
south. Never mind ; I was where I could get 
shipping. 

Next day I was on the road in a vehicle, and later 
on I was settled in a hotel at Levuka. 

I found I could not get a direct vessel to San Fran- 
cisco, but could get one in a week to Samoa, and 
from there to America. I polished myself up a little 
and was ready to leave on the day appointed. 

I had fully decided that it would be better for me 
not to say anything about my companions on the 
island. It cut me to the heart to reach this decision, 
but it meant so much to me. There was not only the 
thought of my own people learning of my crime, but 
there was the possibility of my being arrested and pun- 
ished for it. 

Herbert, and perhaps the two ladies, would be very 
hard on me, and try to procure my punishment. I 
could not bear the thought of being arrested and 
tried. If they were ever rescued, they would think 


31 6 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

that I was lost at sea, and I could live on in oblivion 
until, by the natural course of events, my miserable 
life should end. 

The next Oceanic steamer that entered the Golden 
Gate had registered on its list of steerage passengers, 
“John Smith, Samoa to San Francisco.” 

Before the ship had passed around to its pier, I saw 
that near the Company’s wharf was an unfashiona- 
ble part of the city, and soon John Smith was 
a lodger on Second Street, taking his meals out at 
restaurants. 

For many days I searched that city for employment, 
but failed to get anything to do. I found hundreds of 
men in like circumstances, and became discouraged. 

I took a ticket for Virginia City, intending to try my 
old trade — mining. Here I found everything run by 
machinery, and my experience was useless to me. I 
got a few days’ work helping to bring in wood while a 
man who was sick recovered, and then, again dis- 
couraged, I determined to try Salt Lake City. Here 
the Mormons pushed the Gentiles so that, except in 
cases where a man was possessed of capital or a call- 
ing^ there was little chance for him. 

My next ticket read “ Kansas City.” Here I got a 
situation at drawing wood with a team of mules. The 
first day I upset the wagon by turning too short, and 
left the city on the run to escape the blasphemy of 
the owner of the mules. 

My experience at procuring work of any kind dur- 
ing all these years was generally most embarrassing. 
Sometimes I would get into work that suited me and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


317 


continue at it for some time, and the impulse of fear 
would take such hold of me that I was forced to quit. 

When in new scenes with strange faces I felt less 
the presence of the “ghastly face”; but when I 
became accustomed to staying in the same room, that 
face would grow so vivid on some part of the wall 
that I could not endure it and must seek a change. 

Then I would get work where I could board at a 
boarding-house and change my room every week or 
two according to my feelings of fear. I once managed 
to continue in one place for three months, and left 
much against the wish of my employer. 

To describe it more minutely: I always was an air- 
castle builder, and I could always see pictures in the 
clouds, in the fire, on the walls, in the candle, and 
wherever I would look. I have spent many an hour 
studying the changing pictures in the fleecy clouds 
that sometimes hang lazily in the sky. In those days 
these pictures were fantastic, changing and amusing, 
but now there was but one picture everywhere. The 
pattern of a wall paper, a few cracks or spots in the 
corner of a room, the smoke on the chimney of a lamp, 
the flickering light from a fire, anywhere and every- 
where the same. If I looked to the clouds it was 
there. If I turned my eyes to the moon I saw it there. 
If I looked up to the trees it was among the branches. 
If I closed my eyes it was there more vividly than any- 
where else. That awful “ghastly face,” as I saw it in 
horror that dreadful night in the sickly half-moonlight, 
on that lonely island ! 

I used my reason to argue it away. I did not 


'of: 


318 A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

believe, and would not believe, and do not believe in 
ghostly apparitions. I knew it came from a disordered 
mind, and was the result of the ever-present thought 
that I was a manslayer; but reason could not put it 
down, and it lived as it lived on that night when I saw 
it first. 

Was I insane? Yes, I know I was insane; for all 
men are insane on some point. Others do not know 
in what particular their insanity effects them. Unfor- 
tunately I did know the point of my weakness. 

Oh, would to God I did not know! 

In the warmer seasons of the year I turned north- 
ward, and in the colder southward, and moving to and 
fro, I covered much of the country; but all places 
proved alike to me. There was no rest. The world 
did not hold a peaceful spot for me above its sod. 
Would I find peace when its sods covered my head ? 

Thus wandering, at last I found work for a few 
weeks in Buffalo. I had been in the habit, ever since 
I landed in America, of searching all the newspapers 
that came within my reach, to ascertain if they con- 
tained any word of a rescue of the castaways. In one 
of the papers that my employer brought to his 'house 
I saw this notice : 

“ Lord Kilraine and party, of England, are stopping 
for a few days at the Prospect House, Niagara Falls, 
Ont.” 

The paper fell from my hands. I turned as pale as 
death. I felt that awful creeping sensation through 
my veins. 

I went straight to my employer and told him I must 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


319 


leave him at once. He said, “You are an odd-acting 
man, anyway. What ails you?” 

“Oh,” said I, “I am not quite right and I cannot 
help it, but really I must go.” 

He put his hand into his pocket and gave me the 
few dollars that were coming to me, and the next train 
carried “John Smith” to Niagara Falls. 

Going to the “Prospect House,” I walked up and 
down for more than two hours. The rushing cataract, 
only a few rods away, had no attraction for me. A 
carriage drove up to the steps of the hotel and a lady 
and three gentlemen alighted. 

I could not be mistaken. So like his father. Was 
that the boy I had taught to ride his pony ? 

Oh, what would I not give to be able to walk up to 
him and tell him who I was ! But no, that could 
never be. My hands were stained with blood, and I 
knew he must be pure and good. 

I turned and walked away to hide my emotion. 
Returning, I went into the hotel and walked up to the 
writing desk. I took down a sheet of paper and wrote 
a note to his Lordship, asking if my father and mother 
were alive, and if all their children were alive and 
doing well. I signed the note, “An old servant of the 
family.” 

I went to a bell-boy and gave him fifty cents to 
deliver the note, and awaited his return on the porch. 

Presently he returned and handed me the reply. I 
thanked him and walked away. 

I sought a secluded spot, and sitting under a tree 
where I thought I was safe from interruption, I 


320 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


opened the note and read that my mother had been 
dead about thirteen years and my father about eight 
years. The rest of the family in England were alive 
and doing well. A postscript said, “ The absent one 
has not yet returned.” 

“ My mother died about thirteen years ago,” I mur- 
mured brokenly, “and her loving spirit did not rest 
until it found her wanderer.” Found him, oh, how 
wretched in that distant sea! I felt sure that she had 
visited me that night as I lay under the bush, bruised 
in body and spirit. 

I lay down on the grass and looked up to heaven 
through the branches of that tree. The tears over- 
flowed and ran down my face. A form gathered before 
my eyes. Oh, blessed form — the form of my angel 
mother. That same sweet smile was on her face, and 
she seemed to bring peace and rest to my soul. 
Through all those years a hideous vision had been 
ever before me; but here my angel mother blots out 
that horrid vision and smiles on her forlorn child. 

I lifted my hands imploringly and prayed : “ Oh, 
my dear sainted mother; stay ever with your poor, 
wretched, heartbroken son. Let -him feel that he is 
not cast off from the love and remembrance that were 
his birthright. Stay with him and cheer his rugged 
pathway until he lays down life’s heavy burden.” 

Steps and laughing voices aroused me from my 
reverie. How rudely they had broken into the one 
happy moment of many years of misery, they did not 
know. 

I looked again; but the vision had fled — perhaps 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


321 


never to return. And yet I feel that when my poor 
frame succumbs — which cannot now be long — that 
vision will come to me, and that angel love will take 
me by the hand — no longer stained with blood — and 
lead me up to the glorious throne and explain to the 
eternal judge that murder was not in my heart when I 
struck that fatal blow. 


CHAPTER XXX. 


Saving for home — I sail for England — The old home — 
A familiar face — The old inn — My father's house — 
My reflections — The gardener' s story. 

I CROSSED the Niagara River, and looked about 
for something to do. I succeeded in getting 
work in a paper pulp mill. I found that my visit 
to Lord Kilraine and the information he had given me 
about my family had aroused in me a longing desire 
to see my dear old home. As the desire did not 
abate with time, I began to think seriously of going to 
England. 

I never spent a dollar that I could save, for I had a 
horror of ever becoming a subject to charity, and my 
savings would have ampunted to something quite 
handsome, were it not for my frequent . changes, 
which cost me considerable in traveling expenses and 
living while out of employment. Still I had several 
hundred dollars and felt that I could afford to take a 
cheap passage ticket and return, without leaving me 
altogether without funds in the event of my taking 
sick. 

When I left England I was an almost beardless 
young man; now I was gray and with' a heavy beard. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


323 


My rough life and trouble had added ten years to my 
age, and my appearance was such that I felt con- 
vinced the most intimate friend of my youth would 
not recognize me. I would wear clothing suited to the 
calling of a laborer, and. put up at some obscure inn. 
I would visit the old scenes, look into the faces of my 
brothers and sisters, pour out my tears at my mother’s 
tomb, suffer the terrible agony that recollections 
would bring to my heart, and then again bid all 
farewell. 

Having thought it all out and the desire growing 
more intense every day, I decided to start. Getting 
my pay on a Saturday I procured a ticket for New 
York, and on arriving there, put up at a cheap hotel 
until the day of the sailing of the first steamer for 
Liverpool. 

It would be impossible to describe my feelings as 
I sat on the deck of that steamer and watched the 
receding shores of America, and realized that every 
throb of the great engine sent me nearer to that spot 
so dear to me and yet so dreaded. I began to regret 
having started on the journey. What if by any means 
I should be recognized? I could not endure the 
thought. The sea was calm, yet I began to feel sick, 
and soon retired to my berth, where I remained during 
most of the voyage. At length the day came when all 
on board were anxiously anticipating the cry — “Land 
ho ! ” All except myself seemed in joyful anticipation. 
Merry laughter filled the air, and glad faces were 
everywhere to be seen. I felt in a peculiar mood. I 
wanted to see the old familiar spots and faces, to 


324 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


place my foot in the old paths, and handle the 
endeared objects of my boyhood days; yet the fear 
possessed me that I would not be able to bear the 
ordeal. I was like a charmed bird, I could not free 
myself from the enchantment, even though it should 
bring me death. 

We were towed to our moorings. Many of the 
passengers had friends who came on board, and there 
was happiness on every hand; but no kind smile of 
recognition greeted me. I landed with the other 
steerage passengers, carrying all my earthly stores in 
a small, well-worn hand-bag, and was soon moving 
toward the home of my youth, in a third-class car- 
riage, in a parliamentary train. 

I wondered where I should find hotel accommoda- 
tion suited to my means and pretensions. Well as I 
knew almost every foot of the old town, my acquaint- 
ance with the public houses was exceedingly limited, 
and as I rode along I was busy in thought trying to 
decide what to do. At length I remembered of an inci- 
dent that helped me to a decision. A young friend of 
mine, when T was quite a boy, had been thrown from 
his horse in the suburbs of the town, and badly hurt. 
He had been carried into an inn, near to the place 
where the accident occurred, and had lain there a 
few weeks before he recovered sufficiently to be 
removed. I had visited him some two or three times 
while he was there, and I remembered that it was a 
very quiet, cozy place. I would go there, and if it was 
still kept as a hostelry, I would make it my temporary 
home. 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


325 


When the train reached the station at which I was 
to alight, the sun was near its setting. The day had 
been fine, and the evening was beautiful and glorious; 
but I had no thought for nature’s beauties. I felt like 
a criminal condemned to pass through a line of detect- 
ives ; I was certain that every one who looked at me 
was about to cry out — “The prodigal has returned at 
last.” I had not, as yet, recognized any one; but felt 
that my trial would come when I stepped upon the 
station platform. Taking up my hand-bag, I walked as 
smartly as possible out of the station grounds. This 
station had been built since I had left England, and 
when fairly outside I stopped to take my bearings. 
This did not take long. There before and below me 
lay the dear old town. Yonder among the trees I 
could see the gables of my old home. Before I was 
aware of it, my eyes overflowed with tears, and I 
was sobbing audibly. Some one stopped near me and 
looked into my face, attracted by my sorrow. Then a 
sweet voice that sounded like that of an angel said, 
“ Poor man, are you in trouble, can I help you ? ” I 
turned round quickly, and looking into her face, I 
almost shrieked. That voice ! That face ! I did 
not stop an instant, but ran down the street until, 
turning a corner, I was out of her sight. Then I 
walked hurriedly in the direction of the little hos- 
telry. I found much difficulty in locating it. The 
hand of change had been at work, but the names of 
the streets helped me, and at length I was able to find 
it. 

Flushed and excited, my voice husky with sup- 


326 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


pressed tears, I presented myself at the bar and asked 
for a week’s board, at the same time tendering the 
money in payment. The dapper little man behind 
the bar, who was engaged in a lively discussion with 
two others in front of that obstacle, about labor and 
strikes, turned and looked at me for some seconds 
before he replied. His close observation drew the 
eyes of his friends to me, and I fairly winced under 
their united gaze. The landlord, who did not seem 
fully satisfied with my appearance, said, “Well, friend, 
what part of the country do ye ’ail from ?” 

I replied that I had come from America and should 
soon return there again. 

He said he hoped there was nothing to hinder me 
from returning, and that I would pardon his inquir- 
ing; but it was necessary to be somewhat cautious 
about taking in strangers. 

I told him I presumed there were plenty of inns in 
the town where I could stay, but I had come to him 
first, because I had once stopped with him when I 
was a. boy. 

“Oh, that would be in my dear old father’s day,” 
said he. 

I said, “Very likely, as it was many years ago.” 

“Well, friend,” said he, “we will give ye a room 
and make ye as comfortable as we can.” 

I was shown up to the same room in which my 
young friend lay when he was hurt. I was glad of 
this, for it seemed to have a pleasant association with 
it. I sat down in a chair and began to think. That 
voice still rang in my ear; that face haunted me. So 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


327 


like my mother’s; could it have been her spirit? 
Then it all came clear to my mind. It was my 
youngest sister grown now to womanhood. She was 
always like her mother, both in looks and disposition. 
Then I began to reckon the years. Yes, just about 
the age that my mother was when I left home. 
Should I make myself known to her she would almost 
take my mother’s place in my heart. That same kind 
heart, full of sympathy for any one in distress, could 
not pass the rough tramp that I appeared to be, and 
see his tears, without trying to soothe his sorrows just 
as her mother would have done. 

Supper was called and I went down and ate, or 
rather tried to eat, for there was a great lump in my 
throat, and I felt so strangely excited that I could 
scarcely sit still. After supper I went out into the 
street. I felt that I had made a mistake in locating 
in this house; for I heard the landlord’s step follow- 
ing me to the door, and as I walked down the street I 
was sure he was standing watching me. I knew that 
he was suspicious and would not rest satisfied until he 
found out all about me. 

It was now quite dark, and I walked straight toward 
my old home. Reaching it, I paced back and forth 
in front of it several times. Lights were in all the 
windows, forms were moving about on the lawn, and 
the hum of voices and laughter would sometimes reach 
my ears. A carriage drove up to the entrance and its 
inmates were welcomed. Everything was just as I had 
left it so many years before. Why should I not walk 
across the lawn and stand in the porch and make one 


328 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


of the happy group? No, that could never be. I took 
it for granted that my eldest brother had taken his 
father’s place, and lived in the old house and doubtless 
continued his father’s business in the town. Sadly I 
retraced my steps. I passed through familiar streets 
where change had not obliterated the old landmarks. 
I stood in front of the old business stand, and saw my 
brother’s name in gilt letters where my father’s used to 
be. I could scarcely realize that so many years had 
passed since I last saw the grand old buildings. I 
turned and walked slowly back to the hotel, and retired 
at once to my room, but not to sleep. My nerves 
were so excited that I could not rest, and I lay longing 
for the morning that seemed never to come. 

At dawn of day I arose, dressed myself, and open- 
ing the blind, sat waiting for the stir of day to begin 
before I sallied forth. Yonder in the distance I could 
see the wooded hills, where I had often wandered with 
my gun. Just to the left the tops of the trees in Lord 
Kilraine’s park could be seen, and I sat with my eyes 
fixed on these, but with my thoughts on subjects quite 
foreign. I began to think of some plan by which I 
could make myself known and not bring my trouble to 
my friends. One way only presented itself, and that I 
could not entertain. It meant deception. I need not 
tell them. I could live on, and if the castaways were 
never rescued none would ever know my secret; but 
should some vessel discover them — a thing that might 
happen any day — and they were to land in England, 
I would at once be known as a murderer, my family 
would be covered with shame, and I would have added 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


329 


to me the reproach of having deceived them. No, if 
ever I went to them I must tell them the whole story, 
and either be received or rejected by them. I lacked 
the courage to do this and determined not to make 
myself known. This being settled, I next began to 
think of some plan by which I could obtain the full 
particulars of the history of our family since I left 
them, but failed to reach any definite conclusion. 
Just before I left home our head gardener had been 
changed, and I never had an opportunity of making 
the acquaintance of the new man, but I determined to 
make my way to the gardener’s house, and try what 
my wits would do for me. The gardener’s house 
faced a narrow lane that divided my father’s property 
from that of his neighbor, the manufacturer of whom I 
have before spoken. 

After breakfast I made my way to this lane and 
walked past the gardener’s house. To my delight I 
saw a white-haired old man seated in the shade of the 
little porch. I entered into conversation with him, and 
soon ascertained that he had been hired just before 
my departure, and that his son had succeeded him. 
The old man, too feeble longer to work, was being kept 
by the dutiful son. Having learned this much my plan 
was soon laid. I told the old man that I had worked 
for the family before he came there, and that I had 
left England and gone to the Colonies, where I had 
remained ever since ; that I had lately returned to see 
my friends, and being attached to the family, I would 
very much like to hear all about them. Old people 
generally like to find good listeners while they talk of 


330 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


their past life, and the old gardener was no exception. 
An interrogation here and there led him in the direc- 
tion I wished him to take, and he gave me more infor- 
mation than I had hoped to obtain. Fortunately his 
eyesight was too dim for him to discover the tears that 
flowed freely from my eyes, and the sighs he no doubt 
attributed to my sympathy with my old employer and 
his “ dear family.” 

My eldest brother lived in the old house and con- 
ducted the old business. My other brothers were 
married and settled in different places, all near by. My 
sisters were also married, and the one who had 
addressed me lived only a short distance from where I 
had met her. My father and mother had died as 
Lord Kilraine had informed me. 

I said, “ But there was still another son. He was 
in college when I left; where is he now?” 

“Oh,” s£id the old gardener, “he disappeared 
shortly after I came here, and I can tell you it gave 
them trouble enough. It seems he was a very jolly 
young man, though I never made his acquaintance ; he 
was a great favorite with his mother and most of the 
neighbors hereabouts. He didn’t do well at his 
studies, and they do say the master was rather hard 
on him, and he being of a proud spirit, left and went 
abroad without saying as much as by your leave. Of 
course the master repented when it was too late and 
tried to find him. He heard of him hunting buffaloes 
amongst the wild Indians of America, then he was in 
the jungles of India, then a gold miner in Australia, 
then a coffee planter in South America; but when the 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


331 


agent sent out to find him would get to any one of 
these places, he was just gone from there. The mis- 
tress took it greatly to heart. They do say she never 
was the same after he left. She never was very 
strong, they say, and after he left she was seldom seen 
outside of the house, except when attending the 
chapel over there. At last she pined away and died. 
The master, too, felt very bad over it, and, of course, 
left a handsome provision in his will for the lad if he 
should ever turn up ; but I think he is likely gone to 
another world long before this ; indeed, they mostly all 
think so.” 


CHAPTER XXXI. 


My mother's grave — Watched by spies — My arrest and 
imprisonment — A bold move — Interview with my eld- 
est brother — Our mutual grief and joy — He endeav- 
ors to change my determinatio?i — I remain firm — The 
transfer of my heritage — Good-by to England — At 
home in the New World — My only wish. 

I T was noon when I bade the old gardener good-by, 
thanking him heartily for his kind information. 
I returned to the hotel and took dinner, after which, I 
set out for the cemetery. Having gained admittance I 
strolled about for a little while, reading on stones and 
monuments the names of those I had known in life. 
How many had passed away since last I saw this 
place! Somehow I felt that I was being watched, and 
dared not go direct to my mother’s tomb, lest I 
should excite suspicion of who I was. At length I 
reached the family vault. Casting a look around me 
and seeing no person near, I gave myself up to my 
grief; falling prostrate, I prayed to God for forgive- 
ness for breaking a loving mother’s heart. How long 
I lay there I do not know. Suddenly I became aware 
of the fact that some one was near me. Lifting my 
head, I saw a man standing only a few feet away and 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


333 


looking intently at me. Addressing me, he said — 
“You seem to be in grief.” 

I replied that I had a mother buried in that ceme- 
tery while I was abroad, and I could not find her 
grave. He suggested that I had better inquire of the 
sexton, and walked slowly on. I watched him for 
some time and saw him turn and occasionally take a 
sly glance at me over his shoulder. I felt sure that 
my suspicious little landlord had set a watch upon me. 

When I left the cemetery I went to my brother’s 
store, where I managed to obtain a glimpse of my 
brother. He looked greatly like my father. I then 
started for my eldest sister’s, in the hope of seeing her 
face, but while standing near her gate I was ordered 
to move on by a policeman in uniform. Retracing my 
steps and walking smartly, I nearly ran against the 
man who had addressed me in the cemetery. I now 
felt for a certainty that I was looked upon with suspi- 
cion, and was being watched so closely that I could not 
hope to carry my investigations further without detec- 
tion, and so returned to the hotel. When I passed the 
different policemen they all turned and looked after 
me. When I reached the hotel I found two men in 
conversation with the landlord, and the look that I 
detected passing between them convinced me that I 
was the subject of their conversation. 

The landlord began to ply me with questions. My 
pride came to my rescue, and drawing myself up, I 
gave him most unmistakably to understand that it was 
none of his business. As I had ascertained that he 
had set spies upon me, I would thank him to return 


334 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


the money I had paid him for my board, as I would 
not stay in his place a moment longer. 

One of the men told me not to get in a passion too 
soon, that he was the chief constable, and that he 
had telegraphed to Scotland Yard for instructions 
concerning me, as it was believed that I was a member 
of a notorious gang now doing the country. In the 
mean time he would accommodate me at a cheaper 
house than the one I had chosen. He soon snapped 
the handcuffs over my wrists, and I was marched off 
between the two to the police station. 

Here was a pretty fix to be in. No telling what 
would be proved against me. Public sentiment would 
be on the side of the crown, and as I had no friends 
in the world, my only hope lay in the officers of the 
steamship identifying me. It would be difficult to 
get them to attend court, as they would be at sea 
most of the time, and my limited supply of funds would 
be exhausted long before the end was reached. What 
would I do? 

The exigencies of the case demanded a bold stroke, 
and I decided to make it, let the consequences be 
what they might. I would send for my eldest brother, 
pledge him to secresy, and tell him all my story. Act- 
ing upon the impulse, I knocked at the door of my cell, 
and presently a guard came and inquired what I 
wanted ? I told him, requesting him to say that the 
person sending had something of great importance to 
say to him. Half an hour later the door was opened, 
and the guard entered accompanied by my brother. I 
asked the guard to step out of hearing for a few 


A. REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 

I 


335 


moments. He said it was against the rules, but finally, 
at the instigation of my brother, he retired and left us 
alone. I took hold of my brother’s hand and said, 
“Promise me, for your dead mother’s sake, that you 
will never tell what I am about to reveal to you.” 

“ What do you know of her ? ” 

“Never mind now, you shall know later; only prom- 
ise me what I ask.” 

“ I do promise,” said he. 

The tears flowed from my eyes ; I could scarcely 
articulate a word. Holding his hand in both of mine, 
I said, “ I am your brother. Get me out of this place 
and I will tell you all ; but don’t let any of the others 
know.” 

“I cannot believe it,” he replied. 

“ I do not wonder at that, but I have a strange story 
to tell, which, when you have heard you will believe. 
I am no criminal ; don’t fear that I will injure you or 
yours ; only get me out of this.” 

He turned to leave, gave my hand a strong pressure 
and said, “ I will return soon.” 

It was nearly half an hour when the door opened, 
and the guard coming in, told me to follow him. I 
did so and was soon breathing the fresh air again. A 
man asked me to accompany him, and I was soon in 
an inner room in my brother’s counting house. 

My brother was awaiting my coming and bade me 
be seated. He dismissed the man, and turning to me, 
said, “You will now have an opportunity of proving 
that you are my long-lost brother. I will listen to 
your story.” 


336 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


“Before I tell you my story I want your solemn 
pledge that you will never reveal to any other member 
of the family that you have seen me or know of my 
whereabouts. But for this unfortunate arrest you 
would not have known, and when I tell you the story 
of my life, I hope you will appreciate my motive in 
asking a pledge.” 

He gave the pledge, to be broken only in case I con- 
sented to have it so. 

I soon told him incidents in our early life that fully 
convinced him of my identity. He wept like a child, 
and I was as deeply moved. When our agitation had 
somewhat abated, I rehearsed to him the whole of my 
eventful life since leaving home, and my reason for not 
wishing to be known to the family. 

He appreciated what he called my self-sacrifice, but 
would greatly prefer that the family should be told the 
story, and be allowed to help me bear my burden by 
administering comfort to me. He said he could speak 
for all of them, that they would be only too glad of the 
opportunity of standing by me in case of my ever get- 
ting into difficulty through the “accident,” as he 
kindly called it, by which I killed the Commodore. 
He argued that it was done solely in self-defense, and 
that any jury would honorably acquit me. There was 
no premeditation on my part, and had the Commodore 
been a day longer in attempting to carry into effect 
his murderous intentions, I would have been away 
from the island, with nothing to look back upon except 
the self-consciousness that I had done everything I 
could for the benefit and comfort of the other casta- 



LOCATION OF THE ISLAND. 






A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


337 


ways. He entreated me to allow myself to be made 
known to the family, and to at least remain in England 
if I could not remain at home. 

I told him it was no use ; that “ ghastly face ” was so 
photographed on my brain that its perpetual repro- 
duction before my eyes made me feel so strange that 
I would only give anxiety and pain to all of them, and 
my desire to change continually would not permit me 
to enjoy their society. I told him that the scenes of 
a new country were better suited to me than the less 
changing life of the old land, and that I would return 
by the first steamer to the western world, and would 
there take up my burden and bear it as well as. I could 
until the Master should say, “It is enough.” 

I offered, if it were possible, to make over the whole 
of the allowance that had been left to me, to the other 
members of the family, He thought it might be done 
if I would stay with him for a day. His attorney 
could be brought and I could arrange it all. 

It was toward midnight when his carriage was 
brought, and we entered it and were driven “Home.” 
I was shown by my brother into my own room, which 
I found had been kept ready for me by my mother as 
long as she lived, and had only been occupied on very 
rare occasions since her death. I did not sleep dur- 
ing the remainder of the night ; my heart was too full 
of sorrow, and my head of recollections. 

All the next day I remained in my room, and a ser- 
vant brought my meals. I do not know with what 
kind of story my brother quieted the curiosity of his 
family, but none of them came near me. 


338 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


At night my brother came to my room, accompanied 
by his solicitor. All the papers were prepared and 
ready for my signature, and in a few minutes my 
father’s legacy to me was divided equally amongst my 
brothers and sisters. 

A train left the station a little before midnight in 
the direction of Liverpool. I requested to be allowed 
to go by that train and catch a steamer that would sail 
the following day. My brother’s carriage was brought 
out, and he and I entered it and were driven near to 
the station. We alighted and he walked some distance 
with me ; then stopping, he took my hand in his, and 
said, “Now, my dear, unhappy brother, I feel that but 
for the pledge that you extorted from me, I would not 
let you go. I want you to remember always that when 
you care to return, my house is your home. Come 
back to us, live with us, die with us, and rest beside 
our dear mother’s dust. Write to me. Tell me always 
where you are, that I may go to you if you are in dis- 
tress. I will pray for you every day. I will think of 
you every hour. Don’t forget us, and may the God of 
mercy remove from you that horrid, disturbing vision.” 

Slipping a package into my hand he said, “Take 
this from me and don’t be afraid to use it freely. 
Don’t labor for a living ; you surely need rest. God 
grant you peace. Good-by.” 

He fell on my neck and we embraced each other 
affectionately and then parted, neither of us able to 
say more than an almost inaudible “Good-by.” 

I took the train to Liverpool and was soon in the 
intermediate of a steamer destined for Quebec. I did 


A REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE. 


339 


not open my brother’s package until I was well out 
to sea. I found it contained several hundred-pound 
notes, and a letter of credit for an unlimited amount. 

Having no longer any anxiety as to the matters of 
this life I determined to take things easier, and for 
some time I moved about from one spot of interest to 
another as fancy led me ; but I found that while unem- 
ployed I had more time to brood over the past ; so I 
started to work again, and settling in a Canadian city, 
took up the old routine. 

My life is as it was, neither better nor worse. The 
same unhappy path lies before me that I have left 
behind. My step grows feebler, my burden is wearing 
out my vital forces, the bottom of the hill will soon be 
reached. I would like to live longer for one reason 
only. It would make me glad to know the telling 
of my story had led to the rescue of the castaways. 
This done, I could gladly say : “ Farewell.” 


Note. — This story is absolute fact. The island lies 
in about S. latitude 30°, W. longitude 160°. Any per- 
son interested in discovering the present condition of 
the island or the possible survivors of the company of 
castaways may communicate with Mr. J. A. Wilkinson, 
52 Cameron Street, Toronto, Ontario, to whom this 
story was told and who has acted as editor to the old 
man’s narrative. 





















































































































































































































































































































































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